The Final Chapter
by Caesar The Prince of Darkness
Summary: When new kids come to Springfield Elementary, their appearance intimidates many at school. However, the mentioning of Trappuccino adds more to the mystery of who these kids are. An old rivalry, thought to be over is renewed, forcing the children to work together with the new kids.
1. Introduction

(**Note:** The Simpsons belong to Matt Groening, including main characters, secondary characters, one time characters, background characters, you guys get the picture, Matt Groening owns it. Only the new characters that appear in this story belong to me.)

It was clear morning in the town of Springfield. Outside of the Simpson's house, Bart and Lisa were waiting for the bus to take them to school. The bus was running about twenty minutes late this morning.

It was odd as Otto was usually on time, however it never dawned on Bart or Lisa that something maybe wrong. As they were waiting for the bus, Lisa was busy reading a book for the test that her class would be taking today.

Bart was mischievously devising a plan to annoy his little sister as he put his finger in his mouth. He then placed his spit covered finger in Lisa's ear, causing Lisa to yell in disgust.

"Bart?!", Lisa shouted as she wiped the spit out of her ear.

Bart laughed at how effective the wet willy was as his sister was still upset about it.

Lisa continued speaking to him with annoyance in her voice, "You may not value your education like some do, but you don't have to ruin other people's lives to satisfy your destructive needs."

Lisa tried to go back to reading her book, but her brother placed his finger in her ear again. He did another wet willy on her other ear, causing Lisa to react in disgust once again.

"Knock it off!" Lisa yelled as she tried to take a swing at Bart. She purposely missed him as she had no intentions of actually hitting him. She didn't want to stoop down to his level as she kept her composure.

Feeling a little bit discouraged Bart said to her, "Fine Lis. You don't have to be a boring little dork."

Lisa ignored Bart as she knew she wasn't a boring dork and went back to reading her book. Deep down, she was disappointed in her brother and wished he would take his life more seriously.

Finally the school bus arrived. It was running more than half an hour late and to Bart and Lisa it appeared as if they were in for a boring fifteen minute ride to the school.

When they boarded the bus they noticed all of their friends looked like they had seen something terrifying. It was almost like the children saw a ghost or something.

Bart had asked Otto what happened and Otto replied, "Picked up six new kids today. They're different from all the other little dudes on here."

As Otto took off down the road, Bart and Lisa looked towards the rear of the bus. They saw the new kids staring directly at them. The way they were staring at them looked threatening.

This caused Bart and Lisa to worry as to what was going to happen. Lisa got behind Bart and held onto him, ready for a possible confrontation. The new students were brothers and sisters, with three boys and three girls.

One of the brothers had long red hair with the last few inches of his hair being white. He had such length hair, that the last a few inches were touching the floor of the bus.

On the top left hand side of his head, some of his hair is tied together with a pink hair tie. His white bangs partially covered his face. He wears sunglasses, which prevented anyone from seeing his eyes.

The boy is wearing long blue pants, a white collared shirt with long sleeves, a blue vest, black tie, black boots, and black gloves. He has tanned skin and the sleeves on his white shirt are rolled up. He has two tattoos on his arms, which are partially covered by his sleeves.

On his left arm is a scorpion tattoo and the other is the flag of the United States. His brothers also have the same lengthy red hair with white tips. Unlike their brother, their hair are in rattails, but they do have bangs.

Being twins, they wore almost the exact same clothes as their brother except they had on long black pants, brown boots with brown laces. They also sported sunglasses. One brother has tanned skin while the other has pale skin.

They also have dragon tattoos on their arms, which was noticeable thanks to their rolled up sleeves. Their sisters were very noticeable too. The first one had blonde hair that is braided and worn in pigtails.

Her pigtails themselves are red. She has a pair of red bows on her pigtails. She wears long blue pants, a white shirt, a red vest, and black boots. Her skin is tanned.

Her twin sisters have long red hair in ponytails, using white hairties. They wear khakis, green shirts, white vests, and brown boots. They both have yellow skin.

The brothers had earrings on their right ear, while their sisters had earrings on their left ears. The new students stared at Bart and Lisa for a few more seconds and then looked out the window of the bus.

Bart and Lisa gulped. They had no idea why these kids were staring at them like that. They sighed as they were glad nothing was going to happen for now. Lisa sat down at an empty seat, which was located in the middle of the bus on the right row.

Bart, who would normally sit with Milhouse sat with Lisa. Wendell was sitting with Milhouse, whose usual seat was right across from where the new kids were sitting.

Wendell didn't want to be near those new kids, so he sat with Milhouse to play it safe. The kids on the bus were sitting with others that they normally didn't sit with. Bart whispered to his sister.

"Lisa, I have a really bad feeling about those kids. Everyone on this bus is afraid of them for some reason. They won't even talk to each other. Even Otto is acting strange today, he's being normal."

Bart was looking at the other kids who didn't dare look at the new students. Otto was driving the bus at normal speed and didn't even have his headphones on. It was almost as if the new kids changed mood onboard the bus. Lisa whispered back to Bart.

"Maybe we shouldn't jump to conclusions Bart. They could be nice and we may not even know. I remember one time you use to think Milhouse was a nerd until you and him became friends with each other."

Bart replied sounding annoyed, "Shut up, I never thought Milhouse was a nerd. Who the hell told you that lie anyway, Nelson?"

Lisa giggled at her brother's reaction as an annoyed Bart looked at her. He rolled his eyes at her as he continued speaking.

"Lisa, remember Francine Rhenquist? She was the last kid you thought was nice. When you tried speaking to her, she cold cocked you right in the face and gave you a black eye in front of everyone."

Lisa was surprised to hear what Bart was saying. To see him taking a situation serious, instead of turning the other cheek and assuming it won't effect him in anyway was a good sign that there is hope for Bart.

Lisa rolled her eyes at him and said, "Okay Bart, I get the point. So what do you possible think of them anyway?"

Bart continued speaking with Lisa not knowing that the new kids were hearing every word they were saying.

"Look forget about that. When I got on the bus, something didn't feel right. It was like there was some sort of great power..." Bart didn't have a chance to finish his sentence as someone spoke to him.

"Just wait until we get to school, kid. Things won't be the same at school. If I'm not mistaken, your name is Bart Simpson. The person next to you is your younger sister, Lisa. It's nice to meet you two and everyone else on this bus." said the voice.

Bart and Lisa turned around to see the new students. One of the brothers, who is wearing the sunglasses spoke to them. The new kids had refocused their attention back on Bart and Lisa.

Bart asked the new kids, "How did you know our names without anyone telling you? Who the hell are you guys anyway?"

The other brother with the tanned skin complexion replied as he moved some of his hair away from his eyes.

"Now, there is no need to be feisty this morning. It's just us having a mature conversation, so chill out dude. Who hasn't heard of you guys or Springfield anyway? This is Springfield not The Wonderful World of Oz.

Springfield is the same city that was almost destroyed in that massive dome not too long ago, which was caused by your father. You two, along with your baby sister, and your parents, were the only ones to escape the dome.

It was via a sinkhole in the sandbox. After escaping, you guys were on the run from the EPA. Your family slept in some rundown apartment called the Red Rash Inn that night and then made the journey to Alaska after winning that pickup truck. Your family is very courageous for making it to Alaska intact."

What the boy said got everyone's attention on the bus. Something just didn't add up with what he said. No one outside of Springfield knew the dome incident, also known as Trappuccino even took place.

The government had covered up the incident and briefly erased Springfield from the map. Bart and Lisa were just as confused as everyone else was. How could these kids know their names and even the exact locations of where they went?

Lisa asked with a raised eyebrow, "Wait a minute, how did you guys know about the dome and the fact Springfield was sealed in it? Also, how did you know where we went during that mess?"

The boy wearing the sunglasses replied, "Hon, did you honestly think the government was going to sit back and let the pollution spread throughout the country? America knows about the pollution issues in Springfield."

The boy paused for a moment to let everyone understand what he said. The children said nothing, since the kid made some good points about it.

"It's reckless that anyone running the country would let that slide. Pardon us, but where are our manners? My name is Keith Parkinson and these are my siblings, Henry, Damion, Rolly, Olivia, and Raven. We're from South Bronx in New York City.

I won't reveal why we know this stuff, but I'll throw everyone here a bone. There is a lot more you guys don't know about Springfield then what you already know. This is about as much information you guys will get from us, for now. We'll be debating if further information should be revealed."

This made everyone on the bus curious as to what these kids knew about their town that they didn't know. The new kids continued to look out the window of the bus.

"Wait, how come you guys aren't planning to reveal more information? It's not like anyone here is going to record it." said Milhouse.

"What we know could literally cause this town to implode within itself. Way worse then any riot this town has ever had. That's why we're being very careful with it." said Rolly.

Soon the school bus arrived and the children quickly exited the bus. They immediately started speaking to the other children at school about the new students and what they had said about the dome incident.

The new students were holding skateboards as they walked into the school. Everyone was shocked by the size of these kids. They were dwarfing everyone they passed by. Most of the fifth graders shuddered as these kids walked by them.

"Salutations, we're going to be in your class today. It'll be a pleasure to get to know all of you today. Don't worry, we're actually going to have fun in this school." said Keith to the fifth graders.

The fifth graders thought Keith and his siblings were crazy. No one went to Springfield Elementary to have fun, especially since the school was already miserable enough.

Some of the school faculty saw the new kids walk by them and they immediately had mixed reactions. Most of the teachers sighed as they knew what this meant for them. It's six more students they would have to put up with for a while.

Henry spoke to his brother, "Keith, it looks like things will get very interesting around here. We're going to like hanging out with these kids. Plus the fun begins today with us making an impact."

Keith replied, "Yes Henry, my silly twin. Let me get our point around here for the school's faculty. Everyone in this school is in for a shocking surprise in the cafeteria.

Damion said to his brother, "This will be better then beating up hood-rats in the streets of South Bronx. Shoot, this will be a hundred times better and best of all, no one is going to do a damn thing about it."

The girl with the braided hair spoke, "Now Damion, we shouldn't get too carried away with this. We should play it cool and just let Keith take care of the rest. He won't need any help."

Damion rolled his eyes and said, "Whatever you say, sis. Raven, you can't blame us for having some fun around here. After all as the usual saying goes, boys will be boys."

His sister scoffed at him as they walked through the hallway towards their classroom. A few hours passed and during lunch, the cafeteria quickly filled up with children, who were eating and chattering about their day.

The new kids were nowhere in sight to anyone, but many had not paid any attention to them yet. Bart was talking to Milhouse about what happened in their class.

"I've never seen anyone use a custard pie to the face of Skinner before. Not even Krusty the Clown has done that a lot lately and he's getting stale." Bart said.

Bart was mentioning an incident involving Skinner, who was covered in custard pie while in Ms. McConnell's class. Skinner assumed it was Bart, but let Bart off with a warning today. Bart's entire class had merged with Ms. McConnell's class shortly after Mrs. Krabappel passed away.

The children in Ms. McConnell's class didn't mind and accepted the children from the other fourth grade class. The children from both fourth grade classes were already familiar with each other.

Milhouse said to him, "I heard from Jenny that those kids were planning something big today at lunch. She has the same class with them. What was strange was when a few other kids came into class.

The fifth grade class was creeped out by two of the new girls in class. Lisa also mentioned something strange was going on with this new boy in Mrs. Hoover's class. Doesn't look good for your rep around here." said Milhouse.

"Wait, there are more new kids in this school? What are they planning and why are they here? Nobody one can get attention like I can Milhouse." said Bart as he remained confident nothing big will happen.

Milhouse shrugged as he and Bart thought about what was going to happen today. The new kids walked into the cafeteria and some of the kids immediately went silent.

The children only saw six of the new kids today and didn't see the others. Principal Skinner was walking around the cafeteria to make sure the children were in check.

Suddenly Seymour stepped on a wire, which caused a bucket to land on his head. The bucket was loaded with dead fish. Everyone pointed and laughed at Seymour's embarrassment.

The smell of the fish was very bad, but no one cared as they watched Seymour struggling to get the bucket off of his head. Soon Seymour removed the bucket from his head and he was livid. Many in the cafeteria gulped.

He immediately suspected that the culprit was Bart Simpson. He approached him and grabbed Bart by his shirt.

"I'm going to give you a punishment so severe that it'll straighten you out Simpson." Seymour said with anger in his voice.

Keith got up from his seat and began to walk towards Bart and Skinner. He walked casually towards the two as everyone saw what was going to happen. Keith took off his sunglasses and had a smile on his face.

"Bart didn't do it. It was those new kids that did it. And they're coming for Bart and Skinner." Milhouse said as he pointed at Keith, who had his hands behind his back.

Milhouse sounded terrified as to what was going to happen next. Jenny was Bart's former girlfriend. Bart had lied to her about being good and she broke up with him.

Things changed recently when she decided to give Bart a second chance after Bart saved the school not too long ago from being shut down. Seymour was staring angrily at Bart, unaware of who was standing behind him.

He then heard a voice say, "Turn around and face me like a man. It's time to face the reality era, Armin Tamzarian."

Seymour turned around to see Keith standing there. Before he could react, the long haired boy grabbed Seymour with both hands. Seymour lost his grip with Bart's shirt as Keith slammed him against the table.

A number of kids, who were just sitting at that table stood by and watched what was unfolding in front of them. Bart ran back to the table to join Milhouse, Jenny, and the other children as they watched Keith overpower Seymour.

Everyone was stunned by the attack. No one has ever thought to attack Skinner, let alone manhandle him like that. The children also noticed three other girls and several boys with the Parkinson sisters.

They were watching everything unfolding in front of them. Seymour was trying hard to muscle his way out of the boy's grip, but Keith was not budging as he had Seymour pinned against the table.

"You're quick to accuse people of doing things, however you didn't expect the new kids to construct such pranks. This polite kid fooled you, hook, line, and sinker. Doesn't surprise us that you didn't see it coming.

Looks like you just learned your lesson, which is not to underestimate anyone here. Sheep are the people who are blind to things and are the ones that will sleep with the fishes. It's time for the wolves to feed." said Keith.

Keith lifted Seymour up and tore off his suit with ease. Seymour's entire suit was stripped off of him as Seymour was down to his underwear, which caused the entire lunchroom to erupt in laughter once again.

Seymour was wearing underwear that has a picture of Roofi. Seeing this caused the children to laugh even harder then before.

"Wow, isn't that a surprise. I didn't know douchebags made adult sized underwear for a guy who couldn't even sing to get food stamps." Keith said with his arms crossed.

"It takes a lot of guts for anyone to wear something as ridiculous as that in public, especially around this school."

Seymour was so embarrassed he ran out of the cafeteria in his underwear and never thought to cover himself with something. Kids were pointing and laughing at Seymour as he ranaway.

It was possibly the funniest thing that has ever happened in the school's history. He ran right past the teachers that saw him and some noticed the underwear Seymour was wearing. They said nothing as they already knew Skinner wears those type of underwear.

It was only a matter of time before the children found out about it. After dealing with Seymour, Keith and his siblings approached the table Bart was at. The three other girls joined them as the children sitting at the table were about to runaway.

"Don't even think about it. Sit your butts back down as we're going to have a little talk about something." Keith said calmly as he confronted the children at the table.

The children didn't move as the kids stood in front of them.

"What the hell do you guys want from us?" Bart said sounding annoyed.

Henry replied aggressively, "It's five knuckle shuffle time. You listen up you little punk. You better cut the smart ass attitude. The attitude may work on everyone in this town, but you're going to show us respect boy. I know for a fact you don't have the balls to give your mom that attitude." said Henry.

Everyone's eyes widen and their mouths were open. No one had ever gone up to Bart and demanded he respect someone, especially new kids. Henry's last sentence dissed Bart. It was so bad, Bart couldn't even defend himself at that point, cause he knew what Henry said was true.

"We saved your scrawny ass from that walking cheesestick wearing a cheap suit. The least you could do is shake our hand and say thank you. Are you finished or do you have something to say? If not, be quiet." finished Henry.

Bart gulped and then shook his head, showing respect to the new kids. He didn't say anything to disturb them. It was one of the few times where new kids had put Bart in his place.

Jimbo stood up and hollered, "Bart just got told..."

He wasn't able to finish his sentence as Keith pulled out a handgun and fired. The bullet went through Jimbo's hat and knocked the hat off of Jimbo's head, exposing his balding head. Everyone turned and laughed at Jimbo's embarrassment.

Looking at Keith, it was unusual for a boy to use hair ties at school, but no one dared call out Keith on that. Most of the girls were impressed by Keith's long red hair and agreed it was very nice.

"Anyone that thinks they can act smart with us and get away with it, you're dead wrong dudes. If you have something to say, come to our faces and say it. None of this SpringFace, trash talking to your friends, or any other pussy move.

Come to us and say it to our faces. If you have any guts at all, you wouldn't use your friends or social media as a shield. Prove if you're a real person or a yellow-bellied coward." said Damion.

Jimbo was able to get his hat back on as the entire cafeteria was silent. Just then Nelson stood up.

"Who do the hell do you think you are? Nobody disses and beats up on Jimbo or anyone around here, but me." said Nelson.

Keith turned his attention to Nelson and chuckled at the futile attempt to call him out. He wasn't the least bit surprised someone called him out.

"Are you calling me out, because it's not a good idea, sport. I'm up for challenges and you're the ideal candidate" said Keith as he cracked his knuckles.

"You're damn right I'm calling you out, you partially blonde girl. Let's see what you're made of." exclaimed Nelson.

"Sticks and stones, sir. Let's see if you're really as tough as everyone claims. It's been sometime since I've had an actual challenge from someone at school." said a confident Keith.

Keith confronted Nelson face to face. The two boys stared each other down. It was very tense in the cafeteria as the boys looked at each other. Even teachers came into the cafeteria to watch the fight.

No one has ever had the guts to fight Nelson alone. It was particularly shocking that a new kid is doing something that has never been done before. Keith wasn't backing down as he stood his ground.

"There is no way that kid will last ten seconds against Nelson. Nelson is the strongest kid at this school and doesn't show mercy to anyone. He has this fight in the bag." Bart said to Milhouse and the other kids at the table.

The other children at his table agreed with him as they watched the two still staring down each other. Some had even started betting on who would win.

"You claim that only you can beat your friend there. Well, why don't you do something about it?" said Keith.

He then shoved Nelson back. Everyone thought Keith was crazy to make such a bold move. Nelson had enough of this disrespect. He tried to punch him, but Keith gracefully dodged the attack.

Nelson tried repeatedly to punch Keith, even resorting to kicking, but missed every single attack. Keith gracefully cartwheeled away from Nelson. It was a mockery to Nelson, who couldn't believe this was happening.

Keith didn't even break a sweat. He was a large kid, yet he dodged Nelson's attacks like they were in slow motion. Everyone in the cafeteria was completely dumbfounded. Many were thinking this was a dream.

"When will it hit you that you can't win this fight? You don't know who you're up against. Give up, before I do have to get physical with you." said Keith.

Nelson refused to give up and attempted another effort at punching Keith, who stood still. Keith caught his hand and stopped Nelson dead in his tracks. Nelson couldn't escape from Keith, who was holding onto his hand tightly.

"Now Mr. Muntz, it's my turn to show you what I can do. Let's go for a little ride on the table express." said Keith as he took off his sunglasses and smiled at Nelson.

Keith grabbed Nelson by the arm and threw him across a nearby table. Several kids quickly got out of the way as Nelson slid into several trays of food, before landing on the floor.

Keith jumped onto the table and stood there. He looked at several kids, who's lunches were all over the floor and on Nelson. He handed each kid at the table thirty dollars.

"I apologize for that, but sometimes you have to teach people a lesson these days. Use that money to buy yourselves better lunches. I wouldn't eat any of this garbage they're serving." said Keith.

The kids at the table didn't know what to say about the generous gift. Keith looked down at Nelson with his arms crossed. Nelson slowly got up, his clothes and face was covered in food. It was shocking to see someone throw Nelson like that.

"You know Mr. Muntz, we're not here to play games. We were expecting a challenge from a guy, who everyone calls the top bully at this school. Is this all Springfield Elementary has to offer? Goddamn, how mediocre.

I'm not even using half of my strength and I already threw this guy. Give me a better challenge than this guy, because he is not a bully, he's a wannabe fighter. I've personally gone fist to fist with first graders and even kindergartners, who put up a better fight then this." said an annoyed Keith.

It was humiliating to Nelson that a new kid was dissing him on his strength and fighting skills. Keith hopped off the table and walked towards the bully.

"While you have the muscles, relying only on strength does have it's flaws. I can flex my muscles too, but that's all I'd be limited too. What happens when you go against someone who has the right combination of speed and strength?" said Keith as he stopped and looked at Nelson.

Nelson thought about it and soon his eyes widen in shock. He never thought of that before and it made sense as to why he wasn't able to hit Keith. Everyone in the cafeteria was beginning to realize the same thing.

"I give up, you win man. You won this fight." said Nelson as he sat back down and began to question his tactics as of late.

No one had ever seen Nelson give up a fight so easily. The fight only lasted a mere two minutes and thirty-five seconds, probably the shortest fight ever.

"Ladies and gentlemen, does anyone else want their two minutes of fame or do you want to have a simple discussion about a serious topic? Pick one, because we don't have all day." Keith said as he looked at everyone.

Everyone agreed to listen to what they had to say. Keith sat down on Bart's table with his arms crossed as he looked at the kids in the building.

"Getting to the point, we want to clear up this nonsense running around this school. We clearly heard rumors that some of you think we work for the government.

You're all going to be disappointed, because we don't. We don't even know where anyone thought up of such nonsense." Keith said feeling flattered.

"Don't make us laugh. Those guys aren't even good at keeping a secret, which explains why someone will leak information about the dome incident to the world. We give it a few minutes from now, before it hits the media." said Damion.

Gasps could be heard throughout the cafeteria as everyone wanted to know who it was and why?

Martin replied, "Who's leaking the information and how did they get their hands on it without getting caught?"

Keith replied, "That's where we won't tell you guys that around here. Especially with the looney tunes running this place, this isn't the environment to reveal dark secrets. I also know Mr. Burns and his stooges are watching us with those cameras I can clearly see.

If you guys really want to know who revealed it, you'll meet us at Springfield Park on Friday night. We'll be there waiting for you along with our older brother. Who can you trust in Springfield?

You can trust us, because we don't trust anyone above the age of twenty five in this town, with a number of exceptions to that. This town has so many dark secrets, it's almost hard to believe."

The children began chattering about it. This was going to be something big, which no one else would know about. Keith continued speaking to them.

"Springfield's dark past, it needs to be revealed, since it's about time you guys know the truth about everything around here. This will change how you look at everyone in this town."

Keith then gave the children a thumbs up. The new kids walked out of the cafeteria with their hands behind their backs, clearly not worried about anything. Many were at a lost for words as to how they can be so confident.

They just humiliated the principal in front of the entire school. It was also the same case for Keith, who toyed with Nelson the entire time. Right after the new kids left, the cafeteria was in complete silence.

Everyone was thinking the same thing. They quickly pulled out their cellphones, laptops, and anything they could use to get access to the internet.

They looked up the dome incident, and within seconds the story about it was in everyone's face. It was listed as breaking news. Everyone was in disbelief over what they were reading.

The story about the months the town of Springfield was entombed in the dome, the Simpson family being the only ones to escape from the dome, and how the town was almost blown up with a bomb was all there.

"They were right, but how is all of this possible? How in the hell did they know this before the news got the story?!" Bart said as he continued reading the article.

"It even mentions how we escaped and made it to Alaska. How we were caught on a train, everything is here. This is getting scary. How did they do this and what just happened minutes ago?"

Everyone at his table and across the cafeteria shrugged. This revelation only added more questions than answers to everything going on.

A few hours passed and school was finally over for the day. The children raced out of the building and into the waiting school bus, while others walked. Bart and Lisa were sitting together once again.

Bart was speaking to his sister about what the new kids said to him and the others today at lunch. What the Parkinson kids said left a lasting impression on everyone.

"Those kids told us they'll reveal more if we go to the park tomorrow night." Bart said to her as he eyed the new kids, who were staring at the window of the bus.

"Yeah I was in the library at the time and heard about it from Janey and Wanda. I couldn't believe it when I heard Keith dismantled Nelson in the cafeteria. I actually felt bad for Nelson being put in that situation. So Bart are you going to go with the others tomorrow night?" said Lisa.

Bart replied, "I asked them about it in the hallway after lunch ended. They said I have to go into the park and only then they'll speak about it. Other kids are going, so we might as well go with them. By the way, why are you still trying to deny that you like Nelson, because everyone sees right through you."

Lisa gave Bart a nod, indicating she will go with him as well. Lisa didn't know what to say about that.

"I... I... I just like his tough guy attitude with everyone at school. It's not a big deal for me to like that." lied Lisa.

"Whatever you say, sis. I wouldn't be liking any kid, who just got his ass handed to him today." said Bart.

Lisa rolled her eyes at him as the school bus left the school. When Bart and Lisa got home, their mother greeted them.

"How was your day at school kids?" Marge said with excitement in her voice as she was getting dinner ready.

Homer was home early. He was sitting on the couch with a can of Duff beer in his hand as he was watching TV. Bart and Lisa however, were feeling sad today.

Marge asked, "What's wrong kids? Did something happen at school today?"

Lisa said to her mother, "Mom, you may want to sit down for what we're about to tell you."

Marge sat down in the couch with her husband as the children walked into the living room.

Homer started speaking with anger in his voice, "Okay what's this about? Did Bart get suspended for placing explosives down the toilet at school again? If he did I'm going too..."

Homer never finished his sentence as his son replied, "Trappuccino."

Hearing that word left Homer and Marge silent as Bart continued speaking.

"When we got on the bus today we had new kids onboard. We didn't think much of them until one of them said both of our names on the bus. We never told them our names and they even know about you two and Maggie."

Homer and Marge at first didn't take what was being said seriously, as they stared at their children in disbelief as Lisa started speaking.

"They mentioned the dome incident out of nowhere on the bus. What's even more bizarre is that they mentioned this before it made it to the news.

The information about us escaping the dome and going to Alaska was leaked by someone we don't know. Now everyone across the country knows about it."

It was clear that Bart and Lisa were visibly upset about the event, despite Trappuccino taking place a few months ago. Everything about the entire ordeal started to run in the minds of the family. The TV had Kent Brockman who started speaking right away.

"This just in, word of the darkest day in Springfield history circled the country today. Information about Trappuccino was leaked by an unknown individual working within the government.

The news caused pandemonium within the government as they are frantically trying to find out who revealed the information. Residents have expressed their feelings about the terrible event in our town."

The townspeople remembered the event and many still can't believe they survived. However, it affected the Simpson family the most for numerous reasons. They were the only ones to escape the dome, since everyone in Springfield was trying to kill them at the time.

They also remembered how tense things got with Homer. Homer's relationship with his family was furthermore challenged in Alaska when he was very reluctant to save Springfield from being blown up.

Bart was affected by this the most, since his father paid almost no attention to him throughout the ordeal. Bart had said some things he's never said before in his entire life.

Even though Homer made amends with his son, Bart emotionally hadn't recovered from the amount of years Homer has poorly treated him. He was still hurt from everything that's happened.

The family remained quiet for the rest of the day. They didn't speak much, even at dinner, and didn't do a lot for the rest of the evening. Homer didn't bother going to Moe's Tavern, since he didn't have the willpower to go there.

Bart decided not to hang out with Milhouse today as he was in Lisa's room. Lisa was laying down on her bed thinking about everything that's happened in the past. She didn't have the motivation to play her saxophone today.

For the first time since the family was exiled from Springfield, the Simpsons' house was quiet. Hours had passed and it was dark outside. The Simpson family was going to sleep.

After Marge had kissed her kids and tucked them in for the night. Bart and Lisa were still awake and thinking about all they've been through. The two had no idea things were about to drastically change come tomorrow.


	2. The Statue is Gone

The next morning in Springfield, the Simpson family was having breakfast. Today they felt much better compared to yesterday afternoon. It seemed like a normal morning, until the family heard a frantic knock at the door.

"Who could be knocking at this time? It's not like the town is on fire again." said Marge.

Bart checked the door. When he opened the door, he saw Milhouse standing there and sighed.

"Don't worry everyone, it's just Milhouse again. I think he had another nightmare." said Bart.

The rest of the family sighed as they went back to eating breakfast. Milhouse had a look of shock on his face as he was looking around.

"What's up Milhouse? Did you have another nightmare about Tiny Tim again? Why are you looking around like that, it's your best friend, Bart speaking to you." said Bart.

"Bart are you watching the news? Did you hear what happened?!" Milhouse said frantically as he grabbed Bart by the shoulders.

"Milhouse only adults, old people, nerds, and losers watch the news. You should know that." Bart said arrogantly.

He felt something was different this time with Milhouse. Milhouse never mentions anything that happened on the news.

"Well I found a good reason for you to watch it. It's gone, the statue of Jebediah Springfield is gone. Everyone is at town hall right now" said Milhouse as he calmed down and let go of Bart's shoulders.

Lisa had approached Bart from behind as she had been asked by Marge to check on Bart as his breakfast was getting cold.

"I took only the head last time anyone cared, but someone took the whole thing? We gotta check this out." said Bart.

"What's going on? What are you guys talking about something being taken?" asked Lisa.

Bart and Milhouse turned around and saw Lisa standing there, but it really didn't matter why she was there.

"Lis, someone took the statue of Jebediah Springfield. The whole thing is gone." Bart said as he had that look on his face.

At first, Lisa thought this was another joke by her brother, but saw the looks in the faces of both Bart and Milhouse. Only then did it hit her that this was not a joke and it was serious.

"How did someone just take it without anyone in town noticing it? This has to be too good to be true." said Lisa.

Not even hesitating, Bart and Milhouse immediately bolted as they made their way to Town Square. Lisa followed the boys. They didn't have time to close the door behind them, which was left wide open.

Homer and Marge didn't hear the children for almost a minute and they got up to see what was happening. They didn't see Bart or Lisa at the door.

"I guess they were in hurry to get to school early. Gives me more time to watch TV with them not around." said Homer.

He sat down on the couch and looked at the clock. He saw it was almost time for him to go to work.

"D'oh!" said a dissatisfied Homer. "I don't feel like going to work today, honey. The power plant will be fine without me being there."

Marge groaned in disappointment as she walked into the living room with Homer. She was dusting the room as she spoke to her husband.

"Homie, stop acting like a child. Someone has to pay the bills around here. I don't think the kids went to school. I have a feeling something happened that made them leave in such a hurry." said Marge.

"Pfff, I bet it's nothing important. Honey, kids always overreact over small things. Like when Krusty the Clown was arrested or what's his name was arrested for framing Krusty." said Homer.

Homer turned on the TV and began flipping through channels as Marge was trying to talk some sense into him.

"Homie, Krusty is every child's hero in this town and across the world. Also it's Sideshow Bob, who's tried to murder your own son, our daughter, and us many times in the past." said Marge firmly.

As they watched TV, the news suddenly came on. The camera was showing where the statue of Jebediah Springfield once stood. Every channel was being broadcasted to Channel 6 news.

Homer screamed in shock, while Marge gasped. Maggie crawled into the living room and saw that the statue gone. Her pacifier fell out of her mouth as her mouth hung wide open.

At town square there was nothing, but dirt and oil that had leaked from whatever possibly took the statue. Bart, Lisa, and Milhouse arrived and saw where the statue was.

"Ay caramba!" Bart exclaimed.

"It's actually gone. Before we panic, let's investigate. For all we know it could still be in Springfield." said Lisa.

Bart, Lisa, and Milhouse saw Keith and his siblings already there. The siblings were hard at work looking for any evidence that may have been left behind.

"Did you guys find anything yet? Let us help you guys. It's possible the statue could still be in Springfield." Lisa asked.

"We found not indication of that. We got here about thirty minutes ago. We're still looking for any clues, but all we found was a trail of oil from something that was here last night. It's highly unlikely the statue is still in Springfield.

We have a very good feeling that whatever vehicle was here last night, was used to take the statue." Damion said as he pointed out the oil tracks that lead down the road.

"The tracks disappear a few blocks down the road. A very large truck of some type was likely used last night. It was certainly equipped with a crane to lift the statue out of the ground." said Henry.

A number of other kids showed up. They were the same kids that were seen in the cafeteria with the Parkinsons yesterday. They got to work right away as they searched for clues with the others.

Meanwhile, Chief Wiggum was speaking about what the situation was with the media while eating a donut. The townspeople wanted answers as to why the statue was missing.

"At this time we have no clues or any leads as to who has committed this crime. We're getting to the bottom of this case. While we're at it we will need more coffee and donuts to go along with the investigation." said Clancy as he took a bite out of the donut.

The media and townspeople were busy asking Clancy questions, much to the annoyance of the children already there at the scene. None of the townspeople had bothered to help them.

"Hey fatso, how about you start doing your job. Also, tell these walking cheese crackers to start getting their hands dirty. Most of you look like a bunch of brainless pirates waiting for your captain's orders.

Get your lazy asses working. Maybe then you people will actually solve your own problems for once, instead of other people doing your dirty work for you." snapped Henry.

Clancy and numerous people were taken back the Henry's disrespectful comments. Bart and Milhouse heard what was said and decided not to say anything. They felt the Springfielders had enough punishment for today.

"Found something folks. Gather around as I will read it. Judging by what I discovered, we now have a clear idea of who did this." said someone.

The person that was spoke was their older brother. Their brother strongly resembled Keith. He is sixteen years old and has the same long blue hair that his younger brother has, with his bangs and tips of his hair being red and white.

Unlike Keith, part of Kenny's hair is braided. He wears a white shirt, black tie, blue jacket left opened up, long blue pants, and brown boots.

He has a goatee and stood at six foot six inches tall. His younger siblings ran over to him as he was holding a piece of paper. Bart, Lisa, and Milhouse joined them.

"What did you find Kenny?" asked Keith.

Kenny began to read what he found, "I found this note and it appears as if someone wanted us to find it. It reads, we have your statue and your dignity. Your rivalry with us is not over.

Now do you pathetic Springfielders have the guts to come get it? It's time to finish where we last started and there will be hell to pay for that lemon tree. Signed Shelbyville."

There was an immediate uproar throughout the town. Everyone was angered by the fact Shelbyville stole the statue, which is the pride of their town.

"You've got to be kidding me? Those bastards from Shelbyville stole our statue? What the hell did we do to them to deserve this?" said an angry Bart.

"It looks to be that way. The question is what is the town going to do about it? Are they going to do something about it or are they going to have another meeting?" said Raven.

Bart, Lisa, and Milhouse shrugged as they had no idea what the town will do in this situation with Shelbyville. News hit social media so fast, that phones and internet services throughout the town went down.

At Springfield Elementary, the children were at the playground talking about the statue being stolen. The Springfielders were having a meeting about the situation.

It was the only thing that was talked about at the school. Keith and his siblings came out of the school on their skateboards. They briefly did some tricks before they got off them and held them.

"Looking at the bright minds at work in town hall, we have a new question for everyone. Who's going to Shelbyville to get back the statue that was stolen?" Henry said.

Everyone on the playground had gasped. The children had their attention to the new kids once more.

"Whoa wait a minute. You guys are going to Shelbyville to get the statue back?" said a surprised Milhouse.

"Damn right. There is no way the six of us are going to be able to do it alone. We're going to get help from guys we know. Kids you've met before and others you've never met before." Olivia explained.

It was a bold move, but a majority of the children didn't like the idea of going into Shelbyville, especially what happened the last time some of them had to go into Shelbyville.

"There is no way in hell we are doing that. Parkinsons, we know how tough you are, but no one has the guts to fight off Shelbyville. If you guys want to get yourselves killed, then fine. All of us are staying." said Nelson aggressively.

Despite being bitter about losing the fight to Keith yesterday, he was completely against the idea of going into Shelbyville again. At the moment, yesterday's fight didn't concern him.

"We aren't going to get ourselves killed, because Shelbyville got the drop on us before anyone realized it. That's the grown up's job to deal with that." said Bart.

"The last time we went into Shelbyville, we almost didn't make it back. Our parents rescued us, but we weren't able to get the lemon tree back. We had to sneak in and get the tree back." added Martin.

Everyone started chattering in disagreement about going into Shelbyville. Keith was a bit disappointed by the lack of motivation with the children. He already knew there was a lot of low morale throughout the town, so he knew exactly what to do. Henry started to laugh over what he heard.

"Oh boy, what Bart said killed me. Those grown ups are the same people who voted for that idiot, Joseph Quimby. Whats' worst is that those people come up with the dumbest stuff on Earth.

Like that stupid idea to put surveillance cameras across the city. Or Whacking Day, how about the time Springfield decided to show off it's patriotism? That was so half assed, America cried that day. Not even politicians in New York City are that dumb to support something as stupid as Whacking Day.

I would rather show up to Springfield as a redneck, then to the be known as a sellout, an ass kisser, a hypocrite, a mediocre parent, a mediocre businessman, a mediocre clown, mediocre teacher, and a poor excuse of a reporter.

I've said what I had to say, but you guys popping that junk off made me laugh today. Please guys kill all that noise about the grown ups doing something." said Henry as he started laughing again.

Henry's insult did not make things any better as he insulted virtually everyone in Springfield, including Krusty. That was a direct insult to every kid on the playground. Even then, Henry's siblings agreed with him.

"Come on, don't you have any confidence in them? It's not like they haven't been lucky before, I mean there was the time we survived that meltdown." said Bart as he stood up trying to get his point across.

"Bart, who told you that nonsense, your dad? We haven't been in Springfield long, but from what we've been hearing, your dad isn't the type of person anyone on Earth should be getting advice from." replied Keith.

Keith wasn't trying to be rude, but everyone agreed with him, even Lisa herself. She felt ashamed to be agreeing with someone who already knew what her father was like. Bart couldn't think of a way to reply as he sat back down.

"Henry made good points. Those people aren't that reliable at anything. We'll take our chances without them. If an old man is able to find a cat burglar, that means this town is still juvenile and not mature enough." said Raven.

Martin was the only person who stood up and clapped in agreement. Nelson didn't bother to try and beat Martin up as he felt useless. Despite not liking what was being said, Raven made a good point about the town.

"We'd expect better from you guys, but let's make this clear for you guys. The grown ups are going to sit around for days and weeks trying to find a solution to this. Most of those solutions were purely mediocre.

A five year old would of come up with better ideas. Anyone who thinks the grown ups have a chance of returning the statue in one piece, I have a thousand bridges I can sell to you guys for a dime each." said Damion.

"You know what I find funny, bro? I find it funny that all of the sudden, just about everyone in town gives a damn about that statue. Before it was stolen, barely anyone paid attention to it.

The hypocrisy in this town is unbelievably ridiculous. Folks, you either care about it or you might as well not bother having a statue. Might as well let Shelbyville keep it while you're at it, at least they will appreciate it." said Olivia.

"The worst part about it, most of these people are your parents and they flat out deny they're being hypocrites. I mean where is the standards there, where is being an adult here?

Was that thrown under the bus too? Springfield is really starting to make New York City look good, and that's a lot for us to say. Our city created it's own problems, decades ago. Now it struggles to fix them." replied Rolly.

"Your parents are also letting an old man get away with polluting the town. They ignore it and act like it's not an issue, especially when how many meltdowns have taken place? I really want to know, why are you guys continuing to defend them, and for what reason?

Whether you guys like this or not, they have to take responsibilities for their own actions too. If they can't protect you from people like Mr. Burns, they don't deserve to have you guys in their lives. They deserve to live a long and miserable life, alone." said Henry.

The comment Henry made was harsh for many kids to accept. Some felt ashamed and others cried from the thought of everything that's happened.

"It's true, but what were we suppose to do with some of the grown ups not listening? We didn't have motivation around here, so all we did was ignore it." said Bart feeling sad.

"Tell the faculty to take the money they don't deserve, those crappy lunches, their crappy job performances, and shove it straight up their asses. They won't listen to you guys, so screw them." said Henry.

"We want you guys to understand something. We lived in the Bronx, which doesn't have a very good rep, despite the borough itself being a lot better compared to what it was in the 70s and 80s.

We protected our town's name despite every negative comment that came from people, especially people that live in that snob infested town, Riverdale. We even rioted when our school was being threatened with shut down.

Sometimes we even had to protect people from themselves. It's called looking after one another. That's the town we were born in and nothing will ever change that, regardless of where we live." said Olivia.

Olivia's brothers and sisters agreed with her. Hearing this made the children look at the new kids. They didn't like hearing what was being said from them, but soon they smiled as they listened.

"Waiting for the adults to come up with an solution is a waste of time. You guys are the only hope left for this town. Here is something we found that we didn't want anyone else to see." Damion said as he looked at Keith.

Keith pulled out a piece of paper that was folded in his pocket. He unfolded it and it was revealed to be a picture in black and white. The picture itself was wet from being on the ground, but everyone was able to see it.

"That's the previous mayor of our town, but that's strange. How come everyone is angry at him? I heard our previous mayor was very popular with everyone in Springfield." said Martin.

"How did you guys find this picture? I've never seen this before, not even in the many libraries around here." Lisa said stunned by what she was looking at.

"This picture was taken at the same location where the statue was stolen. That alone should tell everyone that something is up with that." said Damion.

"The picture was taken during the early 1970s in Springfield. As you can see the townspeople are angry at the mayor, because he did something that changed the course of everything in Springfield.

Along with many other things, this is why everyone in town has been keeping this a secret for a long time. They want to make sure their mistakes aren't exposed to the world.

We took this picture before anyone could find it. If anyone in town found this before we did, they would forget about the statue and do everything in their power to make sure you guys didn't know about this." said Rolly.

The children became suspicious on what's been really going on in their town. They wanted to know more about the history of the previous mayor and why he was being hated at that time.

"Where is the previous mayor anyway? It's not like he's still around this town anyway." said Bart.

"He's right. Quimby's predecessor moved to Hawaii after losing to Quimby in the mid 1980s." said Lisa.

"On the way over to Shelbyville, we'll go into more details about this and to the identity of the person that leaked the information about the dome incident.

Get ready for what will be revealed, because it will change how you see your town. There are certain people you won't be able to look at after this." said Keith as he folded the picture.

Everyone understood what needed to be done as they wanted to know. They agreed to go into Shelbyville.

"Well you guys win. We'll come with you to Shelbyville." said Bart as he gave the Parkinsons a nod.

Everyone could hear the noise coming from town hall, but they ignored it. The Channel 6 news chopper was hovering above town hall.

"Well looks like we're going to be paying Shelbyville a little visit. Now we need to get everyone's word on something. This is a matter of keeping our heads cool." said Damion.

"If you guys come, you'll have to keep yourselves in order. You'll be working with one another. It's going to be tough, but it's either this or we might as well not bother trying. Put those egos of yours in park, things just got serious.

We're asking bullies to work with overachievers, brothers and sisters to work with each other, and popular kids to work with non popular kids. No matter where the hell you guys came from or how tough you are, we're all in the same boat." said Olivia.

"We don't care what bad or disrespectful things you've done to each other in the past. All we're going to assume is that you guys are sorry and willing to bury the hatchet and move on.

That means no bullying, no sibling rivalries, no teasing, no three stooges slaps, and so forth. All of your lives are now in each other's hands, including ours. This is going to bring the best out of everyone.

We're going to be shot at, explosives will be used, kids from Shelbyville will attack us on sight. Losing your judgement will only get yourself hurt or killed. We need to look out for each other." said Keith.

The children looked at each other. At some point most of them had issues with one another. They also remembered the time the fourth graders and fifth graders had a rivalry with each other. It was a round of many events that happened in their lives at school.

"We'll give you until tonight to workout any issues still lingering between you guys. You guys still have a choice to go or not go to Shelbyville." said Raven as she looked in the sky and could see the helicopter in the air.

"Meet us at nine o'clock tonight. Pack useful things guys. That means things to eat for a full week, soap, and a towel. Also bring anything sharp or hard that can severely hurt or possibly kill someone."

"Any of you on medication, please for the love of God take them with you. The last thing we need is small headaches in enemy territory. Had to deal with someone with butt cramps one time, which almost got us killed.

Don't want to talk about it, but that was hell for us. Also wear comfortable clothes and shoes, because the terrain we're going to be walking through will be very rough and slippery.

Yes, it's going to rain tomorrow afternoon in Shelbyville. You'll be sleeping in those clothes too, so pick something good that can hold up to that type of abuse." said Damion.

The children agreed and then burst into laughter. Some were already snickering before they laughed. The mentioning of butt cramps got a laugh out of everyone today, which was something they needed.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up boys and girls. Get it out of your system, but you wouldn't be laughing if it happened to you. I know it's funny, but seriously don't forget to take your meds." Keith said as he laughed too.

Just as it appeared as the children were getting comfortable with the new kids, someone started speaking.

"Check out the red-hair girl talking tough to everyone. Let's see if he's tough enough to handle all three of us." the person said.

Everyone turned to see it was Jimbo who had said that. He was with Dolph and Kearney, who were standing there laughing at the joke they made.

"Such a mediocre way to get someone's attention. James, if you have something to say, come to my face and say it. We explained yesterday that popping junk off behind our backs doesn't make you a person.

It makes you a puss, simple as that. Let's see how tough big James thinks he is, especially with him wearing his momma's panties, tied in a knot." said Keith.

The children laughed at the insult as Jimbo started to get angry over the comment. They pointed at Jimbo and started singing very disrespectful songs about him. The bullies weren't expecting this to happen to them.

"What did you say to me, you well dressed red head? I bet you can't even take all three of us on." challenged Jimbo.

"You and your boyfriends must have Alzheimer's. You forgot about that ass whooping from yesterday that Keith dished out. Maybe my bro and someone else should remind you gentlemen." said Henry.

"It's hard to take James seriously anyway. He ranaway away, leaving one of his ex-girlfriends vulnerable. Laura Powers, our former babysitter, and my older brother's girlfriend." added Keith.

"Laura told us about the time this dork left her vulnerable to a bartender, who wasn't even going to hurt him. Then he cried in a corner. Laura said it was the most embarrassing thing she's ever seen." said Raven.

The children laughed even harder, some even fell on their backs. They started chanting "Jimbo is a crybaby" continuously, mocking him for his tough guy attitude. Dolph and Kearney were stunned by the insults.

Even the overachievers were dissing him, which angered Jimbo even more. He wasn't going to allow some new kid to embarrass him in front of the entire school.

"Okay, Parkinson, I challenge you to a fight. Pick someone to help you, because you're ass is dead." exclaimed Jimbo.

"Ah, name calling and cursing, what a primitive way of proving how tough one is. After I kick your ass, please don't cry in front of your ex-girlfriends or your two boyfriends. I don't want your ex's twittering about how you got your ass beat by the new kids." said Keith.

The children continued giggling at the remark as Keith thought who to choose to assist him. Keith wanted to choose one of his sisters, but before anything happened a voice spoke out.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important. Is there any trouble going on here?" said a female voice that came from the distance.

Everyone turned to see a girl that was approaching the playground. It was one of the girls that watched the fight the previous day. Just like the Parkinsons, she was a giant among the other kids on the playground. The girl has tanned skin, wears an orange dress with white flowers on it, and brown boots.

She has long black dreads, wears a green headband with white flowers on her forehead, wears an earring on her right ear, and has a tattoo of a heart on her right arm and a cobra on her left.

"Priscilla would be a perfect example to show how girls can fight. Let's show everyone that girls can be badass when it comes to fighting." said Damion.

"Sup Pris, we were going to tell you about these three dorks, who wanted to start a fight. You have Jimbo over there looking like a drunk Snagglepuss on his period.

Then you have Dolph and Kearney kissing Snagglepuss' cheesy ass over there. Thinking more about this, it reminds me of how most of the adults have their lips firmly planted on Mr. Burns' ass." said Keith.

The kids on the playground laughed at the remark as Priscilla got ready to fight the bullies. This was something new for everyone. Seeing a girl fighting boys was very rare at the school.

Dolph and Kearney began walking as Jimbo stayed back. He wanted to see how Dolph and Kearney would fair in a fight.

"Don't worry Keith, I can handle these two. You can take on Snagglepuss over there and yeah I heard that joke you made, wasn't bad. I mean, it was better then Jimbo's one night stands." Priscilla said as she smiled.

Dolph and Kearney were face to face with the new kids. Keith and Priscilla easily towered over the two boys by several inches. Keith had a toothpick in his mouth and he took the toothpick out of his mouth.

He then flung it in the face of Kearney, which briefly distracted the bully. Keith marched towards Jimbo. As the bullies were about to attack Keith, Priscilla punched both of them in the stomach.

Dolph and Kearney walked away for a few feet, before they fell to their knees in pain, clutching their stomachs. Priscilla skipped over to Kearney and grabbed him by the head.

She then kissed him on the forehead and delivered a punch to his face, knocking him out. Keith started running towards Jimbo at an incredible amount of speed. Jimbo was able to punch Keith in the chest, but Keith brushed it off like it was nothing.

"My God, are all of the bullies in this school out of shape or something? You call that a punch? This is a punch, Snagglepuss." Keith said as he got in Jimbo's face.

Jimbo was shocked when he realized Keith was a few inches taller than him. Keith delivered a powerful punch to Jimbo's stomach. A cracking sound could be heard as Jimbo immediately fell to his knees.

He placed both of his hands on his stomach. It was so painful that he coughed out spit mixed with blood. He wasn't able to speak or make any sound as the punch left him breathless.

Keith started circling him like a shark. Everyone watching could not believe what they had seen. Some teachers were watching the fight and seeing all three bullies down, made them think twice about messing with these new kids.

"Wow, those two just dismantled them like they were nothing. That only took seconds." Lisa said as she looked stunned by what happened.

"Not even in numbers, these two were able to take those guys down without even struggling. You have to respect that." replied Nelson.

"They're not even using twenty percent of their strength and they already took those looney tunes down. How pathetic and a waste of time this was. Once again, we're disappointed." said Henry.

"If those two had used their full strength on them, those three would be dead right now. They would be in body bags on their way to the morgue. You guys have no idea how powerful we are." added Raven.

Keith was still circling Jimbo to see if he would try another attack. Jimbo was in too much pain to counterattack. Keith knew this fight was over after waiting a few minutes for a counterattack.

"Listen kid, you don't scare me or my friends. You can't even fight your own battles, so you have your boyfriends do you dirty work for you. Sad that you're willing to drag other people into your business.

My best advice for you is to not mess with me or anyone I know of. Do you understand what I'm saying to you, tough guy? This is your last warning and I will not repeat myself, cause we will kill you." said Keith.

Jimbo was still in pain, but gave Keith a nod as he understood. Keith was satisfied with the response as he walked back to rejoin the children. Priscilla had Dolph in a headlock and decided to release him, since he's been punished enough.

She skipped over and joined Keith. Everyone pulled out their cellphones and started taking pictures of what was left of the three bullies. Dolph managed to get the strength to run over to Jimbo who was still in pain.

"Dude we need to get you to the clinic. He really beat the hell out of you." Dolph said as he helped Jimbo up.

They walked back into the school towards the clinic together, with Jimbo limping. Dolph was okay, but felt a bit dizzy.

"Wait for me guys. I don't want to get my butt kicked by another chick again." said Kearney.

He was able to get back up to his feet as he ran to catch up with his friends. The teachers that watched the fight left the area as they didn't want to be seen.

"Keith, how the heck were you able to run that fast? You looked like you could be in the Olympics or something. What about your friend there?" said Bart as he watched Jimbo, Dolph, and Kearney go into the school.

Keith took off his sunglasses as everyone could see his blues eyes up close, for the first time. He then looked into the sky, which had some clouds rolling by.

"Our parents taught us how to do those things. Watching a lot of wrestling made things interesting when it came to fights. We did hurt each other a few times, but we learned how to control ourselves.

Now Snagglepuss, he's lucky. He played a dangerous game and got his friends involved. All it took was for us to hit them in the right spot and they would be dead. Don't ever try to fight trained killers, okay everyone?" said Keith as he looked at the children.

All of them nodded as they would never think of fighting him, let alone the others. Everyone was glad to see someone stand up and defeat the bullies at Springfield Elementary, for once.

"Our friend here is Priscilla Underwood. She is an old friend of ours, who helped us during our rough times back in the city. She also helped us with deep stuff, things you guys are going to find out later on." he said.

Keith placed his sunglasses back on as he checked to make sure the bullies were not spying on them. He then high-fived Priscilla as he turned his attention back to everyone.

Everyone understood what they had to do later on as they walked back into the school. The faculty knew the Parkinsons were taking over the school in terms of popularity. They had changed the code of the schoolyard in just seconds.


	3. Journey To Shelbyville

Several hours went by and it was dark in Springfield. At the Simpson's house, Bart and Lisa were getting ready for their perilous journey. Their parents had not returned home from the meeting. Maggie was with their parents.

The only living thing in the house were the pets, who had been left alone all day. Bart and Lisa fed the cat and dog when they came home from school.

Bart had finished packing his purple colored backpack. For this journey, Bart is wearing a white tank top, long olive green pants with pockets, black boots, and a red headband tied around his forehead.

He choose these clothes over his regular clothes, since this situation had become much more serious. Plus Bart thought they looked cool on him. Bart glanced over and saw Santa's Little Helper.

Santa's Little Helper knew Bart was going away for a while and was sad to see him go. Bart keeled down and hugged his dog tightly. Santa's Little Helper licked Bart as his owner reminisced.

Bart remembered the last time he left Santa's Little Helper behind during the dome incident. He also remembered the many good times he's had with his dog.

Now he was leaving again, but this time he was leaving to do something extreme. He knew it could be the last time he sees his dog. It was difficult for him to leave his loyal friend behind in this situation, but he didn't want him to get hurt while in Shelbyville.

"See you later boy. I can't risk losing you in Shelbyville, so I can't take you along. Me and Lisa have to get Springfield's statue back from that town.

If me and Lisa don't return, please take care of Maggie for us. If I come back, me and you are going to spend a whole day together. That's a promise." Bart said to his dog.

Santa's Little Helper whined as he watched Bart exit the room. The dog had a tear that ran down his face as he watched his best friend leave. However, his expression changed to a look of confidence.

He knew Bart and Lisa would successfully return the statue. Lisa was writing a letter for her parents that was explaining what she and Bart were going to do. Lisa is wearing a turquoise dress with orange flowers and black boots.

It was the same clothes she wore when she, along with her family were exiled from Springfield not too long ago. Bart then came into her room. He pulled out his slingshot and was prepared to use it on Lisa for one final time. He had teased Lisa throughout the afternoon, just to get it all out of his system.

However, he could hear Lisa crying and lowered his slingshot. Feeling sympathetic towards her, he decided not to hit her with the slingshot. He fired the slingshot at the wall. This got Lisa's attention, who turned to see Bart.

"Sorry about that Lis, but are you ready and are you okay? If you need more time I'll be downstairs waiting." said Bart.

Lisa had finished her letter as she grabbed her backpack. It was painful for her to not say goodbye to her parents or her baby sister.

"I'm done writing my letter. Give me a few more seconds." said Lisa as she left her letter covered underneath a book.

Before she left her room, Lisa hugged Snowball II. She hugged the cat tightly, since she didn't know if she would return home to even see her.

"I'm leaving now Snowball II. I'll miss you." she said as she kissed the cat and quickly left with her brother.

Snowball II and Santa's Little Helper looked down at the stairs and watched their owners leave the house. Bart and Lisa exited the house and closed the door behind them. As they started walking, they glanced back at the house once more before looking forward.

"Bart, what are we going to tell mom and dad when we get back?" said Lisa as she was worried what her parents will say.

"I wouldn't worry about mom and dad at this time. I'm worried about surviving. I still can't believe I talked myself into going back to Shelbyville, even when I said I'll never go back there. My biggest regret is not saying goodbye to mom and Maggie." said Bart as he saw other kids.

He made a gesture to the other kids, who were coming out of their houses to keep moving along. He and Lisa continued speaking to one other. It was strange for the others to see Bart and Lisa having a friendly conversation.

"That's so sweet of you to think about them. I wish I could say goodbye to them, but it's clearly too late. What about dad? What about grampa?" said Lisa.

Bart rolled his eyes at the mentioning of his father, which shows he still was hurting from his father's antics around Springfield. He knew what type of man Homer was more then anyone.

"What about him? It's not like he's going to miss us anyway. He'll probably be at home or at that stupid bar drinking beer with those drunk bastards. As for grampa, his stories were interesting, even if they sounded too good to be true." said Bart.

Lisa was surprised hearing Bart's negative words towards Homer, but at the same time she couldn't blame him for what he said. She didn't suspect anything else was wrong with Bart.

"Okay Bart, let's do this. This journey is going to either make us or break us." Lisa said as she looked at her brother.

They both nodded as the other kids joined them and formed a group. Twenty minutes later they met up with the Parkinson kids in the park. They saw that the Parkinsons were not alone. Several kids with them and one of them Bart recognized immediately.

"That girl is Gina Vendetti. You remember her, she's the girl I met in juvenile a while back. It's kind of strange to see her not wearing that orange prison dress or whatever it was.

I remember those other girls and those boys too. They were the ones that beat me up in that rat hole. I also see Ruth Power's daughter, Laura is there too." Bart whispered to his sister.

Gina is wearing long black pants, a black shirt with a white skull, and her usual brown boots. What was different about her was that she had on purple lipstick, which was very noticeable.

"There are some kids that I know, like Gus Huebner over there. It's an interesting story how he started hanging out with the popular kids. Me and him still interact with each other to this day." said Lisa.

"Whoa, wait a minute, back up there. Gus Huebner hangs out with the popular kids? Since when?" said a shocked Bart.

Lisa gave Bart a nod. It kind of surprised her that Bart didn't know about one of her friends hanging out with the popular kids.

"I remembered he said popularity is for losers. I need to hear more about this story from him another time." said Bart.

Soon most of the children were present and it was a large group of kids. Nearly every kid from Springfield Elementary was part of this group. There was also kids from other schools that were in the group.

Jimbo, Dolph, and Kearney were not present within the group. They had been humiliated so badly, that everyone stopped taking them serious. The Parkinsons checked the area to make sure no police or grown ups were around.

"Between here and this getting done, we don't want anyone to start fighting with each other. We're all on the same page and should stay on the same page. This is essentially your last chance to walk away from this.

Once we step into the Shelbyville city limits, we are no longer kids anymore. To them, we're vigilantes and we're going to be treated like vigilantes." Keith said as he looked at everyone.

No one in the group walked away as they stood there. They were already out in the middle of nowhere and it was dark. They understood what they were getting themselves into.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I want you understand something and this is real talk. My little brothers and sisters will lay the smackdown on anyone that stir the pot, well if they feel like it. Some of you saw what Keith is capable of.

You don't want to find out what Raven, Rolly, and Olivia are capable of doing. They don't fight likes those blonde bimbos on TV who pull hair and slap, they fight like MMA fighters. Damion and Henry, are straight up death sentences.

They will tear the skin off of you with their hands, before snapping every single bone in your body until you die. I am not joking around either. Once we reach Shelbyville, shit is going to hit the fan." said Kenny.

Many gulped over what Kenny explained. What he said reminded everyone that his younger siblings were very serious.

"Kenny is right and you guys know we don't want to hurt anyone. Before we leave, we're going to make a video. This video will be our last testament, so take this journey seriously.

Say whatever you have to say to your parents and relatives, because this could very well be the final time they hear from you and vice versa.

Don't be embarrassed or shy to express your feelings. The video will be automatically uploaded in two days from now for everyone in Springfield to see." said Keith as he pulled out a digital camera.

Everyone had placed down their stuff and got ready to make the video. After spending over two hours making the video, the children gathered their stuff.

Keith made a gesture for everyone to follow him and his siblings down the street. They went behind houses and trees to ensure they are not seen. Once the coast was clear they formed a group again and walked together.

"This guy with us is our older brother, Kenny, who is sixteen years old. It's pretty clear that a large truck was used to steal the statue, so Kenny here will be able to drive it and us out of Shelbyville. Laura will also be the assistant muscle of this duo, once we find the truck.

She will takeover, just in case things get crazy as we escape the town. They will also serve as medic for us, just in case we get injured, along with us of course." said Damion as he pointed to Kenny.

"We would like to introduce you guys to some other kids you've never met before. Well, some of you have seen these kids before and some of you haven't. Dora, Helen, Gina, Max, Stevenson, Shan, to name a few. I'm not going to name everyone.

You guys pretty much will have to find out their names yourselves. These are kids we met over the past three months being here. They told us how living in Springfield was and believe it or not that actually made us interested in living here." said Keith.

Shan wears long brown pants, a blue collared shirt with green and white stripes, and black and white sneakers. He has long black hair in a Mohawk.

Stevenson is Shan's twin brother. Stevenson has the same clothes and hairstyle, except he wears red and white sneakers. Both boys have yellow skin.

Max has tanned skin. He wears a green collared shirt with two horizontal white stripes running the length of the shirt, long brown pants, and blue and white sneakers. Max has a long white hair.

Helen has yellow skin. She wears a white shirt, a red kilt, and brown boots. She has long brown hair and wears a red Alice band with a red bow on her head. Dora is a girl with pale skin.

She wears a red dress with white and yellow flowers, and brown boots. She has long ginger hair with a red bow on her head. Dora and Helen were very familiar to the fifth graders.

They were seen in the cafeteria the previous day. The fifth graders also met these girls yesterday. Dora and Helen had something that stood out among everyone.

They wore half a mask covering one side of their faces. The masks were white with red lines on them. Helen has one covering the left side of her face, while Dora has one covering the right side of her face.

The two girls looked ominous to many in the group. What was also strange was the boy with Dora and Helen, which no one mentioned. The boy was also one of the several boys that appeared in the cafeteria.

The boy has a pale skin complexion and wears a blue shirt with black, red, and white stripes, long black pants, and red and white sneakers. The boy has long red hair down to his back and has overhanging bangs.

It was strange as to why Keith or anyone didn't bother to acknowledge this boy, despite everyone noticing him. Dora, Helen, and the boy were also Max's siblings.

"We remembered your reaction when you heard about the things we told you. It sounded hard to believe, but after what you told us, this town really is crazy." said Shan as he and his brother began to giggle.

Shan and Stevenson speak with a Southern accent and are originally from North Carolina. They've been living in Springfield for the last four years.

"Yeah don't remind me about it dude. I already know first hand." said Keith as he didn't want to talk about the past at this time.

"There is something I just don't get. How did you guys avoid getting in trouble with that wiener, Skinner? If that was me that tore his clothes off, man he would of expelled me." asked Bart.

Bart brought up a good point that everyone wanted answers for. The other children were still baffled as to why the Parkinsons didn't get in trouble earlier in the day.

"We know something about the school that can get a lot of people in serious trouble. Matter of fact, Gary and Seymour are already in trouble. The statue being stolen will just delay their punishment for now.

We put the fear of God into them. We reminded them that soon, the truth will be revealed. Their careers and their corruption scheme will be blown sky high." said Priscilla.

"They're in trouble again? What did they do this time that makes this different? Those two are always in trouble with something. Most of the time it's usually stupid stuff they get in trouble for." said Lisa.

"This time it's something they can't make an excuse for. It's mostly Gary we took shots at. Him, along with several teachers have misused federal funding for your school. The money was pocked by them.

Our parents are fully aware of this crime. There is a lot more to this story and it gets very elaborate. This story also ties in with Mayor Quimby." said Keith as he pulled out a newspaper page.

He handed it over to Bart and Lisa for them and the other kids to see. Damion turned on a flashlight to allow the children to read what's on the newspaper article. They children became alarmed by what they were reading.

The newspaper article was from the New York Times and had last year's date on it. The article mentioned over two billion dollars dedicated to some of the worst performing school districts in the country.

Springfield Elementary, along with other schools in Springfield's school district were listed. The money Springfield's school district was suppose to get, totaled over seven hundred-fifty million dollars.

The money was to repair some of the deteriorating schools in Springfield, including the dilapidated Springfield Elementary. It was also to do various other things within the school.

It dawned on the children that something didn't add up. Several school programs had been cut recently, due to funding mysteriously drying up. It has baffled everyone for months, but now they had answers.

Some of the programs were very popular with the children, right up until they were discontinued. Seeing that funding was available, only for things to be discontinued, added more to everyone's suspicion.

"We know how you guys feel and boy, this is really heavy stuff. Almost the entire school district is involved." said Raven. "The funding was specified to substantially enhance the school and provide better lunches.

They were going to hire a contractor, who just happens to serve high class meals to restaurants around the country. You guys would get a re-loadable card to purchase these lunches at reduced prices.

Teachers would of been given the raise that they deserved after so many years of not getting it. If Springfield knew about this, all hell would break loose. People's heads would be on steaks for this."

"Truth be told, we really don't give a rat's ass about the school. We're just telling you guys that our school could of been fun for once, instead of being vanilla. They're just using the smarter kids for their own amusement.

They never had faith in you guys anyway. What Keith did in the cafeteria was punishment for Seymour and he deserved it for being such a wuss. It sent a message to everyone. We're on to them and it's just the beginning.

How no one else knew about this is where Quimby comes into the picture. Someone working for the school covered this up, by paying the media to not report it. They made sure no one in town found out." said Damion.

"I remember two weeks before coming to Springfield, I asked Shan and Stevenson if Springfield Elementary had it's swimming pool yet. Kind of strange as to why I was asking questions like that to kids I didn't know.

They said Springfield Elementary doesn't have a pool yet. That furthermore made us suspicious about everything and told us not to trust none of the adults in Springfield. There is a large scale investigation going on.

Four days before we moved, they asked me why I asked them that question. I told him, when we meet, we will talk. Four days later, we did talk about it and they understood the deal going on at school." said Keith.

"He isn't joking about it either. Whoever was involved with stealing the funds, just slapped y'all in the face. They also did the same with your parents and have gotten away with it.

Not for long though, because Mr. Parkinson is a badass. I can't describe to y'all how awesome their dad is. He will have the heads of all of these guys when the investigation is completed, I'll tell you that much." said Shan.

The children now understood why the facility lied to them about the funding. Lisa had a hard time looking at the article as she quickly passed the article to her brother. Bart sighed as he looked at the article.

"I can't believe what I just read. Everything I've been doing at that school, every single fiber of my being was about doing well in school to get a higher education. It feels like everything I've been doing at Springfield Elementary is nothing more than an act to some.

Skinner promised that there would be better lunches, three months ago. They would stop using genetically altered foods at school. I don't even know what to say anymore." Lisa said feeling disappointed.

"Don't worry Lisa. Some still appreciate your work. Plus you're still one of the smartest kids in our class and no one can take that from you." said Janey as she placed her hand on Lisa's shoulder.

"Don't be down Lisa, it's not like those jerks at school are on the same level you are. You're still Lisa Simpson, not some cheap used up supermodel. Don't let this discourage you." said Alex.

Some girls showed support for Lisa. Despite hearing about the school funding, the support from the other girls made Lisa feel much better about the situation.

"Thanks girls, I'm okay with this, I just wished everything went better for all of us. That's why I fought hard for a lot of improvements to begin with. We need to do something about this once we get back from Shelbyville." said Lisa.

"That's a good idea, but right now not yet. At this point we shouldn't worry about what happened with the school funding. Best to focus on the task at hand." Keith said as he pulled out a handgun and checked to make sure it was loaded.

Some of the children felt a bit uncomfortable with a gun being pulled out, but they knew it was one of several things that could save them from Shelbyville.

"Damn, who the hell are you suppose to be? Dirty Harry, Dirty Keith?" Bart said as he looked at the handgun.

"I'm far from being Dirty Harry. We have rifles and shotguns on top of that, yet we're even more lethal with our hands, then with weapons." said Keith as he placed the gun back into his holster.

Henry directed his flashlight against some of the trees and on the road. An hour passed as the group had continued walking. The group passed by many downed trees in the forest.

The trees had burn marks on them and has been in that condition for years. The group soon came across a small lake. It was past midnight and was pretty late for everyone.

"This is where we sleep for the night." Kenny said. "Plus the lake here is still clean, which is a huge surprise. We'll be able to get clean tomorrow. Shelbyville's city limits is about a half mile away over that hill."

Everyone agreed to turn in for the night, but before they did they wanted to hear some answers from their new friends. The children got out their sleeping bags and sat down on them.

"Before we go to sleep, you have something to tell us and we have the time to do it. We're miles away from Springfield and near Shelbyville. There is no way the grown ups will find us." said Bart as he crossed his arms.

The group was waiting for some answers as the Parkinsons agreed to talk about Trappuccino being leaked to the media, two days ago.

Henry started speaking, "Very well. The person that revealed the information about the dome incident was Russ Cargill. Yes, the same Russ Cargill that tried to destroy Springfield."

The children gasped. It was hard to believe Russ was the man that shocked the world. The very man man who entombed Springfield and tried to kill everyone. It was very unexpected.

"That can't be. The same Russ Cargill who was head of the EPA at one time? Why would someone like him reveal something that he caused in the first place?" asked Lisa.

"Let's say he wasn't too pleased with being fired, so he took his revenge on the government by revealing that information to the public. Now the country knows how poorly Springfield was treated.

He did this to get back at the president and many others. Now he's on the lam, which is kind of coincidental. Your family was on the run after escaping the dome. It's a rather poetic story for Mr. Cargill." said Keith.

"That's the same bastard that tried to kill all of us, especially my father, who is the reason we got into that whole mess in the first place. I'll never forgive Russ Cargill for any of that." Bart said angrily.

"This story and this trip is getting really scary." said a worried Ralph.

"What's been said is just the tip of the iceberg, you don't know what scary is. We haven't even gotten to the real deal, yet." replied Damion.

"By the time we get back home to Springfield, you guys are going to hate a lot of people. That's all I'm going say about what we know." added Rolly.

"Understand a few things. Russ Cargill was and still is an idiot. Just because he went to Harvard, doesn't mean he was bright. Same goes for the rest of the fools that work at the EPA, CIA, NSA, FBI, so forth.

Just because you go to some fancy school, doesn't mean you come out any brighter than you were before. Our dad says that he and the other secret service agents trash talk about Russ everyday.

He was a pariah at the secret service since minute one. It was a fluke that he was able to find the Simpson family in the first place. You guys are very lucky he was an idiot and that his ego lead to his own downfall.

The only reason he was with the government for a lengthy period of time, is because one of the agents was sleeping with his wife, who I might add divorced him after he was fired." said Kenny.

All the boys started whistling after they heard that story, much to the annoyance of the girls, who became angry at the boy's immature behavior.

"To all the girls here, give them a break. Let the boys express themselves. After all, it won't be long before they start doing the same to you pretty young ladies." said Henry.

Henry brought up a good point and the girls couldn't be angry at the boys. They smiled as everything went back to the discussion.

"Wait a minute, your father is a secret service agent? That's awesome." Lewis said.

The Parkinsons nodded and the truth of how they knew a lot about Springfield was revealed, much to the surprise of everyone.

"You guys figured out how we knew about Springfield's past. We also did a lot of research, which took four years. We're aware of the controversial moments, like Whacking Day and all other things I won't explain." said Damion.

"Our father's name is Daniel and our mom's name is Leah. Our mom is an intercity bus driver and was formerly a cop in New York City. She'll be in town by tomorrow night along with our father, but by then we'll be long gone.

Our parents are the only ones that know we're out here. The secret service has a lot of dirt on everyone in Springfield. The only reason they're not interested in anyone in town, is because they don't want anyone from there.

However, they do want to know who stole the federal funding. It's going to be a very interesting day for the faculty at Springfield Elementary." Keith said as he laughed.

"You guys were really prepared to reveal this stuff to us. How come you guys choose us out of everyone in Springfield?" said Milhouse.

"They've been ready to reveal this for the last four years, kid. It just took some time for them to physically get here." said Laura with a chuckle.

"Easy Milhouse, most of you guys aren't assholes compared to the adults that run Springfield. It's like we said, you guys have a better chance of returning the statue, then everyone else.

They're too busy at town hall, listening to that oversize mountain, Quimby, to do anything about it. It's a trend that never ends with those people." said Raven.

"What about that thing you guys said. About us not knowing a lot about Springfield's past. That's another thing all of us are really interested in." said Richard.

"As much as we want to tell everyone Richard, you guys may not want to hear it right now, otherwise you won't be sleeping at all. Tomorrow is when you guys will hear it, that's a promise." Keith said as he reassured everyone.

The children were a bit disappointed, but accepted the decision since it was getting late. They agreed to pick up right from where they left off the next day. Most of them went to sleep in their sleeping bags, while some picked a spot on the ground to sleep.

It was a nice night to camp out and there was barely a cloud in the sky. The moon was up in the sky and the gentle breeze blowing the water in the lake helped everyone fall asleep.


	4. The Argument

The next morning in Springfield, the meeting had been postponed. Everyone fell asleep in or around the building wherever they could. Some even slept in their cars. Maggie woke up and looked around.

Everyone was still asleep. Maggie had fallen asleep on one of the chairs. She began sucking on her pacifier and saw her mother laying down on the floor. She tapped Marge, who woke up and noticed Maggie in front of her.

"Good morning sweetie. I guess it's time for me to wake up." Marge said as she got up and sat down on one of the chairs.

She picked up Maggie and held her. The other Springfielders began to wake up. They got back in their seats and waited for the mayor. There was a lot of garbage on the floor. Mayor Quimby walked upstage and began to speak.

"We still need to find a solution to return our statue from Shelbyville as soon as possible people. Anyone with more solutions?" he said as his security guards got beside him.

At this point, the townspeople were sick and tired of talking about the situation. They were especially getting tired of listening to Mayor Quimby running his mouth.

Yesterday, they spent the entire day talking and didn't agree to a single plan. All of the plans suggested were turned down, due to the lack of funding and no one knowing how to proceed with the plan.

Many felt continuing to discuss the issue was becoming a lost cause. The tension had increased substantially since the previous day. Ever since the rest of the country learned about Trappuccino, everyone has been stressed.

People across the country were also expressing their dislike about the government. There were threats of rioting and looting to take place throughout the country.

Meanwhile back at the forest, the children were slowly waking up. Keith woke up and yawned as he slowly got up from the sleeping bag he was in. Others were waking up too.

"It's time for us to clean ourselves. Thankfully this lake is cleaned and doesn't have toxic waste in it." Keith said as he removed his shirts.

Everyone agreed to do the same. The children brought no spare clothes to use, so they went into the lake with the clothes they're wearing. The boys removed only their shirts and shoes as they went into the lake, while the girls only removed their shoes.

The children were splashing around and playing with one another in the lake. Bart had climbed onto a tree and swung from the tree using a vine. He landed in the water with a splash as everyone cheered for him. It was a nice day today, but there were some dark clouds looming overhead.

After several minutes in the water the children got out of the water and dried themselves off with their towels. After drying off and putting their clothes and shoes back on, they were ready to leave the area.

"Do we have a plan once we get into Shelbyville? I just hope they haven't set a trap for us." Bart said feeling worried.

"When we get into Shelbyville, we really have to watch our backs and what we do." said Keith as he combed his hair.

The group saw the sign that had the Shelbyville city limits. Without any hesitation, the group walked past the sign and over the boarder to the rival town. Nelson kicked down the Shelbyville city limits sign.

"Ha Ha!" said Nelson as he pointed at the sign and continued walking.

"Bro, what was the point of doing that? It's a sign, not a person." said a boy named Corey.

"Uh... I did that just to show how I'm going to kick the faces off of every person in this town." Nelson said as he was trying to make himself sound tough.

"Whatever you say, kid. Just remember everyone in this town is totally armed with some sort of weapon. By the way bro, laughing at people's misfortunes can turn into karma." replied Corey.

Corey is a boy with tanned skin. He wears a green shirt, long black pants, and black and white sneakers. Corey has a blonde Mohawk dyed pink.

The children were scared as they watched their surroundings. The older kids in the group bravely marched though, knowing at any moment things could turn deadly.

The Parkinsons pulled out several handguns and got ready. Kenny was holding a rifle. It was unusually quiet for Shelbyville as they passed by several buildings.

The group made their way through the streets of Shelbyville, hiding in trees, bushes, and wherever they could hide. Just as it appeared they were in the clear, rapid gunfire came out of nowhere.

The group immediately took cover wherever they could as more bullets were flying in different directions. Several bullets struck a number of surrounding structures. The Parkinsons returned fire with their guns and took down the attempted assassins.

The children were frozen with fear after hearing the first gunshots firing. The older kids bravely fired back against the enemies. Some of the older kids quickly snuck their way behind some of the men shooting at them.

They took them out by stabbing them in the chest, which killed them. They quickly returned to the group and proceeded to attack again. After only a few minutes, the older kids were able to take down the first wave of attackers.

"Alright guys, let's move it! We don't know what type of attention was attracted, so head for the woods and don't stop running. Let's move it!" said Henry as he took off running.

The group ran after Henry. Several more gun shots were being fired at them. The Parkinsons returned fire and took down the attackers as they continued running.

The children ran in front of the older kids, who were following closely behind them. The group made it into the woods. Everyone stopped to catch their breath as everyone grouped together again.

"Man, I've never had to run like that before. Those guys were really trying to kill us, weren't they?" said Bart as he calmed down.

"That's what happens when you deal with psychotic freaks. Took care of those bastards, quickly and easily." replied Corey.

Most still couldn't believe what they just experienced shortly after arriving in Shelbyville. Then things got heated and were about to get worst.

"Well that should be obvious to someone like Bart Simpson, but he seems to be a bit slow to think." said a female voice.

Bart became angry as he recognized the voice, which came from Jessica Lovejoy. Jessica stood there with a grin on her face. Then Bart got into Jessica's face as the two looked at each other.

"I maybe slow to think, but at least I've been in more relationships than you've ever been." Bart fired back at his ex.

The other kids saw things were getting out of hand. Just as it looked like a fight was about break loose, Keith stepped and got in between the former lovers.

"Oh hell no, we're not doing this out here. We're too far away from home to start this out here. Yesterday, we gave everyone the rest of the day to bury the hatchet with each other. On top of that, most of you guys were slacking off.

I mean what the hell was that? A preschooler would of had better defenses. We basically had to save your asses from getting blown away, and we were left vulnerable to attacks ourselves. That's why you have weapons, use them.

Bart and Jessica, the two of you better get your heads out of your asses. None of us want to die out here, because someone's love affair didn't work out. Do I make myself clear?" Keith said as he became frustrated.

Bart looked at Keith and nodded. He backed away from Jessica. Other kids were starting to get rowdy with the entire situation itself. Some were starting to blame each other for their sloppy defenses as a fight was brewing.

"That's it, I'm sick of playing nice with this. I'm getting tired of doing things the easy way, Keith. I know for a fact you are and it's time for me to be a jerk. I'm going to lay the smackdown on everyone whether they like it or not.

You want to know what I think about everything? I'm sick of barbie girl dolls, who are causing trouble for their ex-boyfriends over something that was originally their fault.

What's up with the bullies, who beat up the same kids, boasting how tough they are, yet they don't have the balls to fight older kids? Want to get yourself in the big leagues, pick a fight with us you pussies. Advance to the next level or shut your goddamn mouths.

I'm also sick of working with kids that are clearly gifted, but are so screwed up in the head, that they need us to hold them by the hand, just like Quimby does to every bastard in town." said Henry.

Many kids became very angry over what he said. Henry didn't care what they said. Henry's siblings rolled their eyes as they let him do what he does best. The fifth graders, the kids from juvenile, Laura, and Kenny could only clap as they agreed with him.

"You guys can get angry all you want, but that's the truth. Most of you think this is some type of mediocre joke and we should throw caution to the wind. Here is a reality check for all of you.

We don't play around with things like this, especially when other people's lives are at risk. Maybe you guys should think about that, before having a cock fight over stupid things.

You know, maybe our grandfather was right. He always said the world was a cunt. Stop acting like the bastards that run Springfield and get your acts together, because this is pathetic!" growled Henry.

Henry was clearly disappointed with the children. It was silent as everyone stood around looking at each other as Henry walked away.

"It takes a lot to really set him off, but you guys did it in one day. Not purposely trying to add insult to injury, but you guys just got told off by a kid with dyslexia." said Keith as he checked Henry to make sure he was okay.

"He has trouble reading for those of you that don't know what dyslexia is. This is exactly why we told everyone here to deal with your issues before we got out here. Some of us aren't really sane in the brain." said Raven.

Everyone nodded and took responsibility for everything. Jessica wasn't fazed, since she had no shame whatsoever. She didn't even care she got told off along with the other children.

"That's right Bart. Have your friends fight your battles for you. Shows how much of a man you really are." said Jessica.

Many have had enough of listening to Jessica run her mouth. She was purposely trying to make things worse for Bart and for everyone else.

"For some of you guys that claim to be the voice of reason, go ahead, handle Jessica Lovejoy. Prove you're the voice of reason or you're just all talk and no action. I'd like to see how tough some of you are." challenged Henry.

Lisa turned her attention to Jessica and decided to take the challenge. It was time for her to end this madness between Bart and Jessica once and for all.

"That's enough out of you, Lovejoy. For a girl who likes to call out other kids on their flaws, you need to look yourself in the mirror. My brother may not be perfect, but at least he didn't steal the church collection plate.

The only reason no one in Springfield caught onto your recklessness, is because they're sheep. They believe that because you're Reverend Lovejoy's daughter, they think you're an innocent girl with a bright future.

That act may have fooled everyone in town, but it won't work on me. You're also not fooling anyone from our school either, so cut the damn act. We figured you out already." said Lisa.

Lisa's hidden aggressiveness took almost everyone by surprise. Lisa got in Jessica's face as everyone watched what was happening. Jessica wasn't phased by Lisa's attack.

"You're no better, Lisa Simpson. You treat your brother horribly when he's in danger. You don't even care about him. Sideshow Bob, those three washed up bullies, your own father, and Mr. Lassen, have covered everything?

What about the time you two had a T.V. show and you almost got him killed by our insane janitor? News flash, only cowards put a restraining order on bullies, especially if the bullies are from their own family.

If you had any guts, you would of fought Bart, but little Lisa here goes to police. The police in Springfield are by far the worst police force in this galaxy, forget the planet. You don't even have any real friends.

I'd rather have no friends, then to have fake friends. It's funny when Allison laughs at you, since she's the biggest hypocrite out of your group of so called friends. She doesn't have the guts to defend you.

She would rather have you fall first before she goes down. Same story with Janey, who acts like hanging out with you is the devil. Funny I mention devil, she's the closest out of everyone here to being a devil.

You also have Becky, who wears braces, yet she laughs at other kids who wear braces. Feels real good for her to be talking about herself. Then you have Sherri and Terri, who think they're above everyone at school.

Lately, they haven't been relevant at school. Those two are nothing more than a pair of transgender, plastic mannequins, who hang out with other girls that wear cheap jewelry and clothes made from China.

Then those same girls have the audacity to brag about that cheap junk not even made in this country. I have to put up with being in a school, where most of the girls look like prostitutes whoring themselves out in broad daylight.

It's very insulting that you girls don't have the guts to look me in the eye and thank me for single handily making all of you relevant in our school. None of you had the guts to do what I did to Bart.

Lisa's so called "friends" are an even worse influence than Bart himself claims to be. Why is Lisa Simpson relevant at school? Simple, she together with Martin, Database, and every nerd at Springfield Elementary are Skinner's bitch.

That momma's boy turns to her the minute the school gets in trouble. Then he forces us through the grueling task of listening to Lisa and him for the next fifteen to twenty minutes.

Skinner, along with Chalmers couldn't run Springfield Elementary school to their guts if they tried. Feels good to pucker up and kiss men's ass on a regular basis, you misandry." said Jessica.

Everyone couldn't believe the hurtful insults they heard. The Parkinsons didn't say anything as they looked on. Henry was actually impressed with Jessica's comeback, so much that he gave her a thumbs up.

Allison, Becky, Database, Janey, Martin, Sherri, and Terri became irate with Jessica, along with many other girls. Sherri and Terri tried taking a swing at Jessica, but Dora, Helen, Max, and a few others held them off.

"Who the hell do you think you are, Lovejoy?! You have some nerve calling us plastic mannequins." exclaimed Sherri.

"Why don't you come say that to our faces if you have any guts, Lovejoy. Say it to our faces now you wuss!" said Terri.

"You're the last person to be talking smack about any of us you evil witch. No one suspects you, cause your Reverend Lovejoy's daughter. At least none of us stole the church collection plate at church." said Janey.

"Blah, Blah, Blah, is that all you got, Henderson, or whatever the hell your last name is? What I did at church is so old, that your pink dress was already out of style. Speaking of out of style you and those plastic mannequins are in need of a make over, cause you three scream out of style.

You and these mannequins attempt to fight me, I'll beat the crap out of you. Janey, your pink dress will be back in style after that beating. Of course who the hell wants to wear that junk anyway?" said Jessica as she grinned.

All the boys couldn't help but laugh at the insults as Janey glared at Jessica. It was a force of habit for the boys, but they never thought they would be laughing at girls, especially at Janey of all people.

Lisa looked at Bart and thought about everything Jessica said. It made her wonder if Jessica was right. She was feeling hesitant to say anything towards Jessica.

"I've never made fun of anyone that wears braces and why would I do that anyway? I wear braces too, for crying out loud! Where did you get such a lie from anyway?!" said Becky.

"Easy, I overheard you talking about Database in the girl's locker room. You thought I wasn't listening to the smack you were saying? You, Wanda, and these mannequins are very funny." Jessica said as she chuckled.

Things had gotten so bad, that some girls were accusing each other of revealing personal secrets. Even the Database and Martin got involved and soon everything had completely gone out of control. Becky was especially upset about it, cause she thought no one was listening to her.

"You're calling me a hypocrite and the biggest nerd? At least I'm more of a person then you'll ever be, Lovejoy. So you can take your insults about me and everyone here and shove it." replied Allison.

"The reason she doesn't hangout with us, is because she doesn't have the time for us." said Martin as he defended Lisa, who he considered both a rival and a friend.

"Seriously, will you two shut the hell up you thong wearing crybabies! You guys are pulling lies out of thin air to make yourselves feel better. I spoke the truth about you guys, whether you liked it or not.

I already exposed you plastic mannequins enough, why pressure me to further more contradict you guys? Most of you aren't Lisa's real friend, because if you were, you would stand by her, even if she makes mistakes. That's what a real friend would do.

You pretend to be her friend, so you can brag about hanging out with a nerd on the internet. I don't have the time to argue or screw up a bunch of Alaska Nebraska wannabes." said Jessica.

The entire group erupted in laughter, even the kids that have yet to speak. Some fell on the ground laughing at Jessica's last comment. The girls Jessica dissed felt humiliated by what the fact everyone was laughing at them.

"Damn dude, you're ex just roasted your sister and those other kids without even breaking a sweat. Looks like she was well prepared for this looking at how she handled herself." said a fifth grader to Bart.

The fifth grader, who spoke to Bart was the same boy Bart had a rivalry with. Despite not hanging out with each other for a period of time, they recently got back to hanging out with each other.

"You can say that again Erik. I've said some mean things to Lisa, but I've never said anything that serious before. I didn't expect this cat fight to happen out here of all places." replied Bart.

Jessica stood there with her arms crossed. Lisa tried to speak, but stumbled a few times. Jessica grinned as she looked at her. She knew Lisa choked as she waited for her to respond.

"Ever since your botched relationship with my brother, the boys at school want nothing to do with you. My brother poured his heart and soul out to you, even going as far as to beg Ms. Albright into letting him back into church school.

You turned the other cheek and slapped him around like a bad dog. When he didn't want to be around you anymore, you framed him for stealing. You have no sympathy for anyone else's feelings.

You're nothing more than an anti-social, delusional, sociopath, whose every being for existence is to manipulate and turn people against each other. I don't even know why I'm arguing with you. None of this is getting into your head.

At this rate, you're going to end up on the streets, becoming a prostitute for all the perverts in Springfield. You're going to whore yourself out for years to many men, until your body is all banged up like a used car. The reverend's daughter act won't get you far in life sister." said Lisa.

Jessica didn't flinch from Lisa's remark. She laughed maniacally at her response. Lisa was at a lost for words as Jessica laughed at her futile attempts to get into her mind.

"That's it? That's all you had to say to me? You're comebacks are equally as worse as the ones your phony friends tried to use. It's a shame that Lisa Marie Simpson stoops down to that level.

My mom makes it clear that she doesn't care about me. The same goes for my father, who makes Christians in general look like a joke every Sunday. Yeah that's right you Protestants, my dad is a senile joke.

Your parents are no saint either. Your father doesn't know what most of your interests are. He gets drunk, then shows up to whatever place your family goes too. If he isn't drunk before, he will be once he leaves the place.

He once showed up to school down to his underwear and twerked in front of everyone, before he was arrested again. Wow, what a role model that is and I thought Planet of the Apes was degrading to animals." said Jessica.

The group bit down on their hand, as an attempt to not laugh. For Jessica to explain this was humiliating to Lisa, but Bart didn't care much for his father, so it didn't bother him that Jessica was saying this.

"He isn't even a role model to your brother and he strangles him whenever he gets upset. Your mom is the biggest mood killer I've ever met and she's a bigot. Just like my mom, she's very narcissistic. Just like my parents, she's horrible when it comes to paying attention to her kids.

I've never heard of a baby, who's addicted to pacifiers before. I stopped sucking on those things after only two months of being born, okay. I'm not perfect either, so don't try to pull that excuse that I'm better than everyone else.

If I wanted to be better than everyone, I would do it in a heart beat. Take a lesson from what I said to your phony friends before you attack me on what I've done in the past, bitch." replied Jessica.

No one wanted to say anything, as it would be insulting to injury. Jessica turned her attention to Bart. She got in his face once again as she had something to say to him once more.

"You can stand there looking shocked all you want Bart. Fact is I've done more insane things then you, your friend Erik, Milhouse, and every other kid in this group has ever done in their entire lives living.

Bart the truth is, your soft. You're the softest kid in this school, way softer then Nelson is. He tries to hide the fact he hangs out with Martin, Database, Cosine, and all the other nerds at school.

You couldn't compete with what I've done. Your sister can't even defend herself without others calling her out on her views. She has to go to you in order to save herself. Until then Bart, Au Revoir." said Jessica.

Jessica walked away from her ex and skipped towards a tree. Bart didn't know what to say as Lisa was still livid over what Jessica said to her.

"Fake friends? I still speak to Lisa, even though our co-ed soccer days was two years ago. I can't speak for the other girls here, but at least Lisa has a real friend as Jessica puts it." said Gus.

Gus speaking up for Lisa, helped quiet things down. Everyone on both sides had calmed down as everyone waited for whoever was going to speak.

"As much as I hate to say this, Jessica made some very good points there. I was surprised that she vented all of that without losing control. She said some very truthful things about some of you guys. Gus, it's great that you stood up for someone." said Henry.

Everyone was shocked to hear Henry was agreeing with Jessica. Gus gave Henry a nod as everyone else waited for an explanation.

"He's right, some of you guys are no better than she is. I don't condone the insults Jessica said to some of you, but she's right nonetheless. Some of you girls do turn on Lisa when she is humiliated.

Bart, you're not perfect either. However, all the wrongs you've done doesn't give Lisa an excuse for not caring about you when your life is in danger. Two wrongs don't make a right.

Point I'm getting at, none of us are perfect, not even Jessica herself. All of us have skeletons in the closet, things we've done none of us are proud of doing. We need to live with that and learn to move on." said Kenny.

Everyone agreed. Some of the girls lost control of themselves to the point where they accused each other. All of them felt bad for what they've done.

"At least you came up with comebacks. Get dissed by a smart kid and don't come up with a comeback at our previous school, you were immediately branded a wuss and a potential target." said Raven.

"We don't need to bring up the past right now, but yes you're very right about that Raven. At best, you'd get beat up by the smart kids for not defending yourself. We encouraged newcomers to defend themselves at all times." said Rolly.

"That's unbelievable. Aren't nerds mostly small guys with dorky looking glasses and usually prefer not to fight? Plus why aren't you guys using the word nerds anyway?" said a confused Nelson.

"Not where we come from. New York City, things are very different. The smarter kids do not take anyone's crap and will deal with you right there, rather than after school.

If they have to deal with a group of bullies, they will gang up on them. Once they gang up on you, you're screwed, no matter who you are." said Keith.

The children were in awe over what was being discussed. The conversation helped end any possible chances of a fight taking place between everyone.

"Also calling overachievers "nerds" is considered offensive to those kids at Morris Park. I went to that same school up until two years ago. You talk trash, you better be able to back it up in a fight." said a boy named Horace.

Horace is of Hispanic decent, who has tanned skin. He wears blue shorts, a green shirt, white ankle high socks, and blue shoes. He has long brown hair and wears a black bowler hat.

Sherri and Terri and a few other girls approached Lisa to congratulate her for standing up to Jessica. Bart approached Lisa and high fived her.

"I don't say this a lot, but thanks Lis for sticking up for me in that situation there. I almost lost my cool there, but I didn't think you would too." Bart said happily.

Despite thanking her, Bart still had something that was bothering him. Suddenly, the group was confronted by another group of kids. These kids were familiar to some of the children of Springfield.

"I remember you. Your name is Shelby isn't it? You and your friends are the same kids that stole our lemon tree." Bart said as he called out Shelby.

"Long time no see Bart. The last time you guys got lucky. This time we're going to finish where we left off. You won't be leaving our town in one piece." Shelby threatened as he and his friends grinned.

The Shelbyville kids had knives and baseball bats with them. The Parkinsons put their guns away and allowed some of the children to go in this fight. Lisa grabbed Bart's arm. He looked at Lisa, who had a look of concern on her face.

"Be careful Bart. I don't want anything to happen to you. Good luck with this fight." she said as she let go of his arm.

Bart gave her a nod as he, Martin, Nelson, Milhouse, and Database confronted the Shelbyville kids. The boys were going to fight their doppelgangers. Everyone knew things were going to get rough as the fight started.

Milhouse and his doppelganger, who was also named Milhouse, pulled out their phones. The two Milhouses started playing Chess with each other, causing everyone to facepalm themselves.

"Tell me he is not doing this again? If there is one person I'll never understand, it's Milhouse Van Houten. Look at what he's doing here." said Erik as he placed his hand on his head.

"You gotta admit, Milhouse is a hands off type of guy when it comes to confrontations. I can safely say that I've seen everything." said Keith as he tried to not laugh.

"You guys think that's strange, you have to see him around me. That kid goes crazy when he flirts with me." said Lisa as she sighed.

Meanwhile Nelson and his doppelganger fought each other. Nelson had to quickly move out of the way of the bat that his doppelganger swung at him. The doppelganger missed several times before finally hitting Nelson in the back.

Nelson fell to the ground, causing the Springfield children to gasp. It looked like Nelson was done for as his doppelganger approached him. However, Nelson was waiting for the right moment to strike back.

He was clutching onto something with his right hand. His doppelganger didn't notice what he was holding on. Nelson wasn't going to lose to this guy that easily.

Everyone thought Nelson was done for, but the Parkinsons could see Nelson had something up his sleeves.

"Keith aren't you guys going to do something to help him? They could seriously get hurt." said a worried Jenny.

"Nelson is up to something and we could see it. Those boys have something to finish. It's wise to never interfere with personal rivalries." said Keith.

"Any last words before I pummel you into the ground like a little bug?" said Nelson's doppelganger as raised the bat.

"I have only two words, you're deadmeat." said Nelson.

He then pulled out a paint ball gun and fired several times. The paint balls hit his doppelganger in the face. The doppelganger dropped his baseball bat. He wasn't able to see anything.

He didn't know where he was as he swung widely trying to hit Nelson. Everyone was very impressed by the clever counterattack Nelson pulled off.

This gave Nelson the chance to strike back. Nelson punched the doppelganger in the face. It was the hardest he has ever punched someone before in his life.

Nelson caused a tooth from his doppelganger to break loose and fly out of his mouth. His doppelganger fell to the ground and was out cold as the children cheered for Nelson.

Meanwhile Bart and Shelby were going at it. They were both punching each other. They then punched each other in the face. Bart almost went down, but was able to remain up.

He remembered that hard hits to his head could take him down. Shelby recovered, despite narrowly going down to one knee. The two boys then pulled out their knives and tried to slash each other with them.

They ended up slashing each other's arms, which caused blood to come out. Lisa was getting worried about her brother, but she held back along with the other kids.

Shelby's gang had been defeated by the other children and were being held as hostages. The exception for this was Milhouses' doppelganger who just stood by his downed friends, watching Shelby.

"You can do it Bart. We got your back." said Lewis as he gave Bart a thumbs up.

"Kick his butt Bart, none of these guys can stop you now." said Richard.

Bart formed a smug look on his face. He knew it was over for Shelby and his crew as he became more confident.

"Looks like your loser friends couldn't stop us from kicking their butts. Give up now and I won't have to hurt you." he said.

Shelby refused to give up and charged at Bart with the knife still in his hand. Shelby missed Bart, who quickly dropped to the ground.

"Shelby, I never had the chance to say this to your face the last time, so it's time for you to eat my shorts." said Bart.

Bart gave Shelby a hard right to his face. Shelby's purple baseball cap flew off as he went down. Shelby landed on his back and didn't get up.

Bart had successfully defeated his rival in the very town that Springfield has had a long rivalry with. Everyone clapped and cheered at the victory.

"To tell everyone the truth, I didn't want to hurt him like that. A simple apology and a handshake would of solved everything between us. So Keith, what are we going to do with these guys?" said Bart.

"I say we throw them off a cliff and let the wolves take care of them. These guys are just another roadblock in our way." suggested Nelson.

Some were taken back by what Nelson said as they looked at him in disgust. The Shelbyville Milhouse was afraid the group might in fact throw him and his friends off a cliff.

"Are you insane or just reckless? Seriously dude, stop with the hard act around here. Same goes for all of you. We're not in that crappy school, so chill out everyone." said Corey.

"Nelson we're not savages. We're trying to set a better example around here. If we kill them, then it makes us no better than these jackasses are for attacking us in the first place.

It also won't bring back the statue. Keep in mind, they're kids just like us. They also have a family too. Don't you think certain people will get retribution against us if we kill them? Think before you speak." said Henry.

Nelson didn't like being confronted over this issue, but he said nothing as he stood there silently. No one could ignore what Henry said as it wasn't the best option at this time.

"Bart, Nelson, Milhouse, Martin, and Database, good job. Rather than leaving them for the wolves to feast on, we will give them two very simple choices. If they decide to hang with us then we'll be cool about it.

Maybe we can get more information out of them at the same time, so that we don't have anymore surprises. We show them the one thing Springfield will never show anyone in this town, mercy." said Keith.

Many didn't like the idea, but agreed to it anyway. The children first had to wake up Shelby, who was still out. It took a few minutes, but Shelby finally woke up. He was surprised to see the Springfield kids here.

He was moreover surprised that they were helping him and his friends. The group didn't even bother trying to tie him or his friends up. Keith approached Shelby, who handed Shelby his purple cap.

"Now that you and your friends have calmed down, I have to ask you one question. Are you okay?" said Keith.

Shelby was at a lost for words. These kids from Springfield weren't being malicious in anyway, something he's never experienced before. Shelby responded with a nod as he placed his cap back on.

"You're probably wondering why none of us decided to finish you off. To put it lightly, we would be no better then you guys are for attacking us. Everyone deserves a second chance.

You and your friends can leave and go to your parents. However, by the time you get back, we're going to be long gone, so what do you want to do?" said Keith.

Shelby had a tough question to answer. If he went back to his father and told him who was in town, there would be many people here. They would have the group outnumbered.

He also knew that if the townspeople came, the Springfield kids will leave and the effort will be for nothing. He looked down at the ground and then back up at Keith.

"Since you put it that way, we might as well stay with you guys. Don't expect us to be nice to you, just because you're sparing us from whatever you guys were planning to do." said Shelby.

"We're going to rest for a bit before we move on, so you can join your friends, or us, or whatever you want to do. Just don't try to do anything stupid like a sneak attack." said Keith as he walked passed Shelby.

The boys that won the fight against the Shelbyville kids were being praised by the children. Lisa ran up to Bart and hugged him in front of everyone.

Bart blushed as he hugged her back. He was a bit shy about hugging Lisa in front of everyone. Several girls thought it was cute to see Bart hugging Lisa.

"Ha Ha. Lisa loves her brother! Lisa loves her brother!" Nelson said as he mocked both Bart and Lisa bonding together.

Some kids began to sing along with Nelson, but this didn't last long. Lisa swung around and punched Nelson in the face, knocking him out in front of everyone. Everyone stopped signing rudely about Bart and Lisa.

Nelson was motionless as Lisa resumed hugging her brother. Bart remembered how Lisa did the same to him when he teased her about not seeing her boyfriend.

"Well, I did tell this clown laughing at people every time was bad luck, didn't I? I guess he got beaten to the punch over that." Corey said as he started laughing.

The entire group laughed with him as Nelson slowly got up. Nelson didn't know where he was or what had just happened. Everyone decided not to tell him as they regrouped.


	5. Bart Sounds Off

"Since we're far away from any type of danger, we might as well have lunch here. I mean it's not like we can go in the middle of the town and do that." said Keith.

Everyone agreed. As everyone was eating, some were beginning to question how the Parkinsons knew where to go. It was something that baffled them throughout the entire journey.

"I have to ask, but where are we going exactly? It's not like we can keep avoiding these guys every millisecond." said Martin.

"He's right. They're going to eventually find us and we're probably going to be overwhelmed by then." added Lewis.

"We were wondering when someone would ask us that. Well Martin and Lewis, there is an abandon house around here. We noticed it on the map and investigated it a while back before we actually came to Springfield.

It should be good for us to take shelter from everyone around here. According to what we heard, the house is in good condition. Hopefully that's true or this will indeed be a bust." Keith said as he ate a sandwich.

"You guys knew about a house being out here the entire time?" said Martin.

"Precisely, we've been studying the maps of both Springfield and Shelbyville for the last four years. We know exactly where to go and how to find the house. Call this a cooling off period until tomorrow.

It will diminish any chances of a search party with us being completely out of sight. That path we took in Springfield, which many of you complained about being too long was done for a reason.

It was taken to avoid security around Shelbyville's borders. For some reason they weren't guarding that particular area that we crossed into. Those guards are heavily armed and they're checking everyone that comes in and out.

They have the orders to shoot and kill any Springfield residents on sight. Walking into town using the roads is obviously not a good idea, since we're going to get blown away." said Kenny.

"Wow, so that's why we never saw you guys come into town. We have to admit that was really clever." said Shelby.

"Thanks, I guess. This nonsense we're in was going to happen anyway. Shelbyville had been planning for years to really stick it to Springfield. They've been thinking of ways to do it and the statue became their target.

I can't really say it's a smart idea, more of a hassle. It's a miracle they were able to get that thing out of town without waking anyone. The trucks being used had to have weighed a lot to move that thing." said Henry.

"He's right, they said something about stealing the statue. We thought they were going to get themselves killed trying to steal it, but somehow they pulled it off." said Martin's doppelganger.

"But why did they have to steal the statue? We've done nothing to them in a while, so what's their deal with us? This rivalry between both towns is seriously getting old." said Richard.

"Richard, you're not the first nor the last to say that. I personally don't have a clear answer, but it probably has to do with egos. It's the same reason why Springfield is still a joke of a town." said Keith.

"He's right about that. Our dads all have huge egos, like they want to prove something, but they really aren't." said Shelby.

"Looks like we're not so different after all. You have to see my dad, he gets drunk during my birthday and my sister's birthday." said Bart.

"Same with mine, but he actually knows how to hold his liquor. However, he's the lucky one. The other men in Shelbyville suck at it. Going around vandalizing property and stripping naked in town." said Shelby as he felt sick talking about it.

Everyone could tell that Shelbyville was really no different then Springfield, especially with how some of the grown ups were being described.

"How come nothing was done to prevent all of this from happening, even with the signs being clearly obvious? The government should've stepped in to prevent this from happening." asked Allison.

"A lot of reasons why nothing was done about it. For starters, most government people are not very bright. I mean look at Russ Cargill. What a paranoid, wannabe tough guy he was.

He felt like a big man holding a big gun, when deep down he's nothing more than a weak child. Covering Springfield in that dome, he kept ramming the idea down the president's throat." said Kenny.

"They aren't hiring guys that were boy scouts everyone. They're hiring a bunch of sycophants, who would sell their souls to the devil in a heart beat. It's a shame we've been going down that road.

Anyone that didn't know that, you guys need to wake up and get on the ball here. Look at the political parties in Springfield and you will see what we mean." said a boy, who spoke with a Scottish accent.

It surprised many that the boy with Dora and Helen was Scottish. He was about seven years old, but something about him didn't seem right. Most seven year olds aren't often involved with politics, which surprised everyone.

"Unfortunately, Ivan is dead accurate about those government folks in Springfield and the country in general. They hire anyone these days, even guys graduating out of high school, but that's another story." said Max.

"Getting back to the point about the house, if there is a house out here, wouldn't everyone in Shelbyville know about it?" said Lisa as she chewed on apple slices.

"The house has been abandoned for over three decades and everyone has long forgotten about it. Ironically the house was built to shelter people, just in case a war with Springfield ever took place. The area where the house is located is very difficult to locate.

It's very easy to get lost in these woods, so it's rare for anyone to hike this far up. We heard the house still has running water, but as for electricity, once we get to the house we can then determine if there is electricity." replied Priscilla.

Lisa understood and asked, "Do you guys at least have a plan that will allow us to locate and somehow retrieve the statue? We don't even know where it is exactly."

"Hours before school got out, Kenny and Laura went into Shelbyville alone. They encountered a kid there. The kid did something very odd that we didn't expect.

He also gave Kenny and Laura a map of where all the landmines were located. Then he revealed that the statue is at an impound lot." said Damion.

"The kid said he and his family were against the entire plan. A number of others were also against it too. Looks like we may have some help after all, but that doesn't mean we should get carried away." said Keith.

"What could possibly go wrong? It's not like anyone from Springfield followed us." asked Milhouse.

"It's not anyone who followed us that we have to worry about. It's the people in prison that we have to worry about. The same night we left Springfield, several dangerous criminals broke out of prison.

No surprise, there wasn't anyone guarding the prisoners and that's the town you guys live in. One of the prisoners that broke out included that embarrassment of an entertainer, Robert Terwilliger Jr." said Keith as he sipped juice.

It was frustrating for the children that there could potentially be more obstacles in their way. Bart, suddenly became angry when he heard Sideshow Bob's name being mentioned.

"Just what we need. That psycho is released from jail again. No wonder our town sucks. They can't even keep an attempted murderer locked up for two seconds without him somehow breaking out.

If he ever comes near us, I'll end him. Screw Springfield's justice system. Not even with that transvestite, Judge Constance Harm in power, they still couldn't keep him locked up." Bart said as he began hyperventilating.

He had a look in his eyes no one has ever seen before. It looked as if Bart was going to kill someone. His third sentence was cold, so cold in fact it sent chills down everyone's spine.

Some kids, even Nelson backed away from Bart out of fear for what was going to happen. Lisa could see that her brother was angry and tried to calm him down.

"Bart you don't need to get upset. Sideshow Bob doesn't even know we're out here and it's not like he's going to walk into Shelbyville, without confronting the security." Lisa said nervously.

Despite her efforts, this only made Bart even angrier as he shot his sister a glare. Bart then stood up and turned his attention to Lisa, who didn't know what Bart was going to do next.

"Tell me you didn't just say that to me? Okay, let me tell you how I feel, Lisa Marie Simpson. He's pathetic as a criminal and as a person. He rigged the election for Mayor, thinking he wouldn't get caught.

Look what happened to that idiot after he was exposed. Anyone who thinks he's a genius, seriously go kill yourself, I could outsmart him. I've foiled his plans so many goddamn times with my sister, I've lost count and I don't plan on keeping count.

Our father almost got me killed when he agreed to go to Bob out of all the people in town for help. I don't fully blame Homer for that, I also blame that pathetic excuse for a cop, Chief Wiggum. Bob hid right behind the door and almost killed me in my room."

Hearing this shocked everyone. Bart brought up something no one could deny, Sideshow Bob was outsmarted by him. In a rare moment for Bart, he was revealing things about his life as he continued speaking.

"You guys want to know the truth about me and Lisa? Homer Simpson is nothing more than a terrible example of a role model. My mom is no better, sometimes she's an even bigger failure than that ape she married.

Homer's brain went through a meat grinder years ago. Our entire family is a complete disaster in every possibly way. The only innocent person left in our family is our baby sister and she doesn't have much of a family to look up too." Bart paused to think of what he was going to say.

"Lisa, out of everyone that lives in our house, you can't ignore that our father is the most incompetent person Springfield has ever had. He claims he loves us and cares about us, but in reality he only cares about hanging out at that bar.

He says it to impress our clueless mother. Look what we go through everyday at home. He barely pays any attention to you, me, and our baby sister, he's almost forty years old and our mom has to constantly tell him what to do.

To make things worse, he works in a poorly maintained power plant, who is operated by a weak, sadistic, greedy old man and his homo-repressed boyfriend, who also doesn't give a damn about anyone in town.

Everything Jessica said about our parents is so true, it's not even funny anymore. It's not some rumor that came from some stuck up bitches at our school.

Homer makes barely enough money to support all of us, yet he brags to everyone over how much money he has. He borrows things from Flanders and never returns them.

Flanders tries his best to be a good neighbor to him. He's put everyone in Springfield in danger many times, with the dome incident being the greatest example.

What really pisses me off, is that our mom keeps accepting his antics on a daily bases and doesn't do a damn thing about it, especially when he strangles me.

Lisa, me and these guys remembered something that happened at school. Some time ago, you went off on everyone at school, after Homer rejected the Father's Day gift you worked hard on.

You attacked Martin, Wendell, Milhouse, and even that douchebag, Skinner, three times. Everyone didn't mess with you for a month after that. I've never seen you so upset with him before.

You've told mom on me many times, but when it comes to Homer, you just act like it never happened. What does Homer have that I don't? That makes you biased against me, doesn't it?

I take that back, Jessica was right about you, you're a misandry. You've done the same to other kids at school, which is why you're hated on by a lot of boys at school.

Whether you want to admit it in front of everyone or not, I've done more nice things for you then Homer's ever done in your eight years living. That's a fact and I can safely put that statement on God if I have too.

I was the only one in our family who accepted you for converting to a different religion. I didn't overreact or complain, but our parents, and the whole goddamn town did.

Our mom grew a brain when we went to Alaska. She had enough of Homer, when he refused to save Springfield. He was going to let his friends and family die for his own screw up." Bart paused for a minute and resumed.

"You guys have no idea how it feels, when you know your friends and relatives are about to die. Worst part is you never had the chance to say goodbye to them.

The idea I was about to lose everyone I knew, my dog, Milhouse, Erik, you guys, and even kids I never met before. It threw my mind everywhere. Do you guys understand what I'm saying?" said Bart as he looked into the sky.

The group nodded, but this was something new coming from Bart. The kid speaking to them was a very different Bart, not the troublemaking boy everyone was use to. Bart was focused like no one has ever seen him before.

He was letting everyone know what was going on in his mind. It also showed Bart cared about the kids he hung out with, especially kids he never paid attention too. Even Lisa was shocked hearing this coming from her brother.

"Lisa, there is something I want to tell you. I never told you this, cause you were young and I didn't want you to grow up being like me. Half a decade ago, me and you were playing together.

I went into the garage and I heard a conversation by Homer. He was talking on the phone. What he said... was very upsetting to me and a very low, even for him.

He said that his biggest mistake was having two kids very early in his life. Once you have kids, it's too late to go back and restart everything all over again.

For him to say that about me and you, was possibly the biggest slap in the face ever. That's why I took ten minutes to get back to you, because I couldn't believe what he said." said Bart.

Bart had significantly calmed down, but was still upset. Lisa placed her hands on her head. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. There were other kids who were just as shocked as she was.

"We left him there alone to watch that video our mom taped, which was over her wedding video. That's how serious things got between him and us. She literally taped over her own wedding video.

My mom, as a parent failed years ago when she stopped caring about Homer's antics. I'd rather be at school listening to Mrs. McConnell or Skinner's lectures, then get dragged into my father's crap.

You guys can call me a hypocrite for saying that, but at least my antics were actually entertaining to everyone. Everything is always about him getting his way and that's what screws up my mind.

I was better off staying emancipated and living in the same apartment with Tony Hawk. I probably would be a better person, instead of being my father's bitch. Now you guys know me." said Bart as he walked away.

Everything Bart said to them explained so many things as he left. Bart walked towards a tree and leaned against it. Everyone was quiet, trying to make sense of what was said.

A number of things kept running into their minds. Hearing that Homer refused to return to Springfield to save the town that he doomed was extreme. It made everyone appreciate that they're still alive to this day.

It never sunk in that they could of died during Trappuccino. Most of these kids knew Bart, but they've never known about his personal life at home. Hearing Bart's real life at home being revealed, kept many quiet.

"Well, I might as well ask this question while we're on the topic. Bart, Jessica, and Lisa aren't the only ones that have issues with their parents, are they?" said Kenny.

Nearly every single kid raised their hand in silence. Laura, Martin, Erik, the Parkinsons, and a handful of other kids were the only ones that didn't.

"Nothing surprises us anymore. We've heard identical cases countless times in New York City and it's becoming a serious plague throughout America." said Keith as he looked at everyone.

He took off his sunglasses and looked into the sky as a gentle breeze blew by. A number of kids were beginning to feel bad about the way they treated Bart. Some felt they made things even worse for him.

"There is one thing I will never understand about these parents in our town. If they didn't want kids, why did they have them in the first place? None of you guys in my opinion were a mistake." said Laura.

"Nobody knows, but it reminds me of saying said in this hip-pop song. Kids are born with no state of mind and become blind to the ways of mankind. That's the sad, but awful truth about these times." said Olivia.

"It's hard to believe nearly everyone here comes from failed parents and marriages. My mom and dad would never treat me or my brother and sister like second hand citizens, let alone anyone for that matter." said a girl named Cleo.

While Cleo's heart was in the right place, she spoke the truth about most of the group. Cleo wears a light pink shirt, a magenta jumper over her pink shirt, and magenta shoes. She has light brown hair with bangs.

Her brother is named Kyle and her sister is named Sharon. Sharon wears a white collared shirt, a light blue sweater over her shirt, a green skirt, and dark purple shoes. She has blonde hair in a ponytail, tied with a green hairtie.

Kyle wears a blue colored shirt, long gray pants, and black shoes. He has an orange sweater tied to his waist and has brown hair. The two siblings gave their sister a nod.

"My dad doesn't even trust me with anything. I'm in the second grade for remedial classes only, I'm actually a fourth grader. Once I'm done, if I'm ever done that is, I'll be able to go into the fifth grade with the other fourth graders.

The only people that's been there for me is my sister, Nina, our mom, my brother, and our cousin, Adrian." said Chuck, who is one of Lisa's classmates in the second grade.

His sister approached him. Nina is a girl in Bart's class, who has blonde braided hair in pigtails and wears a pink jumper. Their brother the buck-toothed boy, joined them along with their cousin, Adrian.

Adrian is a boy who wears glasses and was also in Mrs. Krabappal's class. The buck-toothed boy is another boy, who happens to be a friend of Bart. He too was in Mrs. Krabappal's class.

"Your own father doesn't trust you? I'm sorry to say this, but he isn't your father if he doesn't trust you. That's just cold right there and we've heard some wild stories. We're sorry to hear that, Chuck." said Keith.

"How can you even call him your father at this point? That's not a father, that's a thug right there. Thugs don't care about nobody and nothing. They basically say we don't give a damn about nothing." said Kyle as he became upset.

Cleo and Sharon could only clap as they agreed with their brother and Keith. Even other kids were clapping. It was hard for Chuck to deny that his dad was a thug as he gave a nod.

"It's too bad no one in Springfield has the guts to come out and say that. Anyone that speaks out against people like the mayor are immediately a target to all those bigots." said a girl named Emily.

She brought up a good point about speaking out against Quimby. Everyone felt they were backed into a corner and they couldn't fight back. Emily wears a light green shirt, a pink vest over her shirt, a dark green skirt, pink socks, and gray shoes. She has long brown hair tied in ponytail and bangs.

"Until recently when you guys met us. We're not a joke as you guys know. We've slapped authority in the face many times before and we will do it again, you can damn well guarantee that." said Henry.

In a rare moment, Henry said something positive to the group. This made everyone feel better, but they weren't all too sure about it. They wanted to see results before actually believing it.

"Most of the kids we went to school with didn't have parents or both in a number of cases. The handful that did have parents at all, had good relationships with them." said Damion.

"Many of us have divorced parents and it's not easy for us, especially since our mothers or fathers have to handle much more responsibilities with us. It's put a lot of pressure on us and we're not truly happy." said Tyler.

Tyler is a boy, who always wears a red or blue cap on his head. He was wearing a blue cap on this trip. Other kids nodded, agreeing with Tyler about the divorce issue.

"I didn't have a family growing up. I was born in a dump of an orphanage in a bad area of Springfield. I had to survive on my own and I've been in and out of juvenile for the last few years.

I remember Bart said something to me the night we busted out of juvie. It led me to believe he's having family issues. It didn't hit me until now, but it was mostly his parents that were to blame for his problems.

He cared more about his two sisters, but severely criticized his father and mother. What he said had me asking myself, was my life better off compared to others?" said Gina.

Gina's last sentence had other kids thinking the same thing. However, most didn't think their lives were any better compared to Bart's life at home. In some cases some thought their lives were even worse.

"I too didn't have a family when I grew up. I'm still an orphan in Springfield, but I hope to change that when we get back." said a boy named Nathan who spoke with a Norwegian accent.

Nathan is a boy, who is from Ogdenville. He wears long blue pants, a white shirt, a brown sleeveless shirt, and red and white sneakers. Nathan has blonde hair in a rattail and had lengthy bangs.

"All they told me was that I'm from Ogdenville. I've never seen my parents before and if I did, I have no memories of them. It's really sad to hear everyone's parents are acting like fools."

"We don't have an answer for anyone's question. Shan and myself have met people that have had it easy or worst in life compared to others. Life is like a dice roll folks, you never know what you'll roll next." said Stevenson.

Lisa was still silent over what her brother said about Homer's phone conversation. She had no idea how to respond over that as she finally started to speak.

"What Bart said about our parents is true. My brother can be mean to people. However, deep inside of that poor lost soul, he's a good kid. We fight and argue with each other, but we get along very well with each other.

It's just that everything in his life has been a wreck for him when it comes to our parents. Our dad has said many times that he and our mom should focus on me more than Bart.

Bart only talked to Donny, Milhouse, Nelson, Erik, Richard, and Lewis about it, while I never mentioned it to anyone. I admire his strength for having the guts to tell other kids about his past.

I was not a good sister to him those times and I let him down. I don't want anyone to think this is an excuse for Bart's behavior in the past, I just want you to know that everything he said is true.

I can't erase any of the destructive things Bart has done in the past. I can reassure him that there are people around here that care about him. I don't know what else I could do, I feel hopeless this time." said Lisa as she looked where her brother was.

"Mr. Simpson can be a real jerk sometimes." Milhouse admitted. "A week after I first met Bart, he mocked me several times for looking like a nerd, because I wear glasses."

Some of the nerds weren't happy to hear that. Even they didn't consider Milhouse a nerd and felt it was an insult to them. However, they kept it to themselves.

"I didn't think his life was hell at home. I use to think that kid was doing okay for someone that has good style. Everyone here needs to set the record straight with their parents." said Donny.

"You never know what a person is really going through until they reveal it. I've seen perfectly happy kids, go off the deep end out of nowhere. There was one incident in the Bronx we remember.

Someone got killed, long story short. We personally don't like to talk about, but it was a something that shouldn't have happened." said Keith.

He felt bad for bringing up Sideshow Bob in the first place. Lisa approached her brother. She got beside him and looked at Bart. Bart had tears coming out of his eyes..

He didn't want to cry in front of his friends or sister. Lisa hugged Bart to comfort him. His rant got the best of his emotions. He released years of frustrations, rage, sadness, and the lack of being accepted all at once.

"I'm sorry for all the bad things I've done to you. I may have been poorly treated, but that still doesn't give me the right to abuse you." Bart said as he wiped tears from his eyes.

Lisa has never seen her brother in such an emotional wreck before. She couldn't believe that her brother had finally admitted all the wrongs he's done in his life. She was thinking of what to say to calm him down.

"Bart it's okay. I can't really blame you for how you've been acting all these years. I also haven't been a good sister to you. I'm sorry for all the times I wasn't there for you.

It maybe impossible for me to undo the damage that was done to you, but I can try to help you improve your grades in school. If I do, you'll have to put the effort into it. Before you go off on me, listen to me for once.

I don't want you to be like me, I just want you to pass this school and make a life for yourself. Sooner or later Bart, it's going to hit you that your popularity around here is only limited to the school.

That's how it started in the first place. You only have less than eight more years of school left and then it's all over with. If you don't have anything, then your eighteen years of life will be for nothing.

You're soon going to be eleven years old and when that happens you need to grow up. I don't want you to end up like dad or Grampa. I want you to become like our uncle Herb." said Lisa as she looked at her brother.

Lisa was holding onto her brother's hand, while she spoke to him. Bart gave Lisa a nod as he accepted the apology.

"Bart there is one thing I've never been able to say to you. The reason I want you to be a better person is for a few reasons. Me and the rest of the family want to be there to see you graduate.

I want you to be there on the day I graduate from high school. Most importantly, I want you to be there with me to see Maggie graduate. I can't even imagine how we would feel without you there in our lives.

Some of the things you do, could get you killed one of these days. Think about the people that care about you, before you do these things, because it can severely change your family and friends forever." said Lisa.

Lisa then kissed Bart on the cheek as she held him. Bart was touched by his sister's words as he hugged her.

"I'll have to think about this, though I won't promise anything. I'll try to do it for you and Maggie." Bart said as he smiled.

Lisa smiled and they looked back and saw everyone standing there, looking at them. Bart and Lisa was surprised to see them there.

"Hey guys, how long have you guys been standing there?" asked Bart.

"Long enough Bart, long enough." said Milhouse as he walked up to Bart.

Milhouse threw his arms around Bart, as did other kids like Richard, Lewis, Erik, and even Nelson to name few. Much to Bart's surprise as they held him. His classmates and many other friends showed they did care about him.

The storm clouds were hoovering overhead, but that didn't bother no one as they heard the sound of thunder. Several more hours passed by and it was late at night.

Back in Springfield, Homer, Marge, and Maggie were going back home after not seeing Bart or Lisa for almost two days now. When they got home and opened the door, they noticed something was wrong.

The door was left unlocked and the house was still in one piece. Snowball II and Santa's Little Helper were chasing each other around the house.

"Bart and Lisa are not here. That's strange, they're always watching TV at this time." Homer said as he looked in the living room and didn't see Bart or Lisa.

Marge knew something was wrong. It was twenty minutes passed nine and the kids were always home at this time. She handed Maggie to Homer as she rushed upstairs. She looked in Lisa's room and Lisa wasn't there. She went into Bart's room and saw no one there either.

"Homie, come up here quickly!" she screamed frantically.

Homer came running up the stairs and confronted Marge, who was very concerned.

"Homie I can't find the kids anywhere. No one is in the rooms." she exclaimed.

"I looked in the backyard and inside the TV. I didn't see them there." said Homer. "We should calm down and think. Maybe they're at one of Bart's dorky friend's house."

Marge didn't approve of Homer calling Bart's friends dorky, but at this time she didn't care. They had calmed down a bit, since it was possible Bart and Lisa could be at the Van Houten's house.

When Homer and Marge stepped outside the house again, they went from calm to worried in seconds. They saw many parents outside calling the names of their children. Luann rushed up to Marge worried where Milhouse was.

"Is my son at your son's house? Milhouse wasn't home when we got back." Luann said as she was joined by her husband, Kirk.

Several other parents were soon asking Homer and Marge the same question. The parents were very worried about where their children were. Marge shook her head.

"Bart and Lisa are also gone too. We thought they were with your kids, but that's clearly no longer true anymore." Marge said sadly.

Many parents began to panic over the entire situation. They drove back to town hall as another meeting tried to take place, but the already stressed out townspeople began to argue with each other.

Kent Brockman was reporting what was happening as he and the cameraman watched the mass argument. Complete pandemonium was taking place in the town once again.

"Well this is a disgusting sight to see from everyone in this town. Good grief, calm down, it's bad enough you're embarrassing yourselves on national T.V." said a female voice.

Everyone had stopped arguing and they turned their attention to the two figures standing at the front door of the town hall. The figures standing there was a couple, who were younger then most of the adults in the town hall.

The woman that spoke had a tanned skin complexion. She wears long black jeans, a blue shirt with long sleeves that are rolled up, and brown boots. She has long red hair and wears a blue headband with white flowers on it.

Her husband has a pale skin complexion. He wears black jeans, a gray shirt, a blue vest over his shirt, brown boots, and sun glasses. He has long red hair in a ponytail.

Most of the townspeople had never seen these two before. The man was a giant at seven foot two inches tall. His wife is nearly seven feet tall, making the couple very intimidating to everyone.

"You've been sitting on your asses for two days. It's no wonder why my daughters and sons had to convince the children to go into Shelbyville. They're in Shelbyville right now, trying to get the statue back.

What have you people been doing lately? Wasting time with another stupid meeting? Typical BS here. They're doing what you guys have failed to do and that's take immediate action." said the man.

Everyone was surprised and became worried that their children were now in serious danger as things seemed to get worse for everyone.

"Who are you two? What do you mean our children are in Shelbyville?" asked a concerned Marge.

"My name is Leah Parkinson. My husband is Daniel. Our boys and girls attend Springfield Elementary school." said Leah.

"There is no way the children are in Shelbyville. They wouldn't last two seconds in there anyway. They would all come back to Springfield crying and be all scared." said Homer mockingly

He was trying to reassure everyone that the kids are still in Springfield somewhere. He even went as far as to make a joke about it.

"Apparently you didn't see the letter that your daughter left. The children are in Shelbyville and are in hiding right now." Daniel said as he took off his sunglasses.

"What letter? How did you know Lisa left a letter behind?" asked Marge.

"While on their way to Shelbyville, your daughter asked one of my sons if he could text something to me and my husband. It was a message for you and your husband." said Leah.

"Onwards to Shelbyville then. We must save them before it's too late." said Sideshow Mel.

The grown ups agreed with the decision. Just as they were about to leave Daniel and Leah got in their way.

"Shelbyville is armed to teeth with weapons. They have security patrolling the border. You guys even try to cross that border, you'll be swiss cheese. All you can do is hope, since you guys waited too long.

They're hiding in a location that's so deep in Shelbyville, even my husband can't find their location. Also, you guys have criminals running loose around here. I strongly suggest dealing with them." said Leah.

Out of nowhere, Leah pointed a handgun behind her and fired. She shot one of the criminals in the chest, which caused the man to land on the floor. The prisoner died instantly, much to the shock of everyone watching.

It was a sign that the couple wasn't kidding around. The parents were sadden as they sat back down. They felt powerless that they couldn't save their own children.

"Honey, I'm going outside for a walk. I need some fresh air to think about Bart and Lisa." lied Homer.

Marge gave him a nod as he walked out of the town hall. Other men followed Homer. They soon went to Moe's Tavern for a beer. Daniel and Leah already knew the adults were going to get drunk, but didn't say anything about it to anyone.

"This shit hole is full of dead beats, divorced parents, troubled marriages, liars, back stabbers, and drunk son of bitches. The only people around here that have any common sense is Ruth Powers.

Her friends, like Marge Simpson aren't exactly up to par with the reality of things. It's no wonder Russ Cargill had this town sealed up in a dome and attempted to blow it up. In the end, Russ found out you can't kill stupid, especially when it comes to Springfield." said Daniel to his wife.

"Years ago, this town was once a great town, but now it's the shell of it's former self. When I was a hippie many years ago, this was one of the towns we protested that nuclear power.

We were successful in places like Ogdenville, but for some reason we weren't lucky for Springfield or Shelbyville. Now looking at it again, nuclear energy isn't so bad, so long as you maintain the power plant.

That's where I draw the line in the sand. Springfield has never maintained that power plant up to standards. Shelbyville's plant is safe and everyone there is proud to have it in their town.

The rich guy who owns that plant is a better businessman than Mr. Burns will ever be. As for Ruth, she has common sense now, but that wasn't the case many years ago in high school.

I wish she had that common sense back when she was younger. She and her daughter would of had a different life. She also wouldn't have gone through that messy divorce with her ex, not too long ago." said Leah.

Daniel and Leah walked outside of the building, while everyone inside talked to each other. The police were sitting around not doing anything about the criminals running crazy. Daniel and Leah were hoping their daughters and sons were okay as they held each other.


	6. The Revelation

Meanwhile in Shelbyville, after walking for a few hours, the children finally located the house in darkness. The children were very tired from walking. Some of the girls who were so tired, that a number of the boys were carrying girls the rest of the way to the house.

The terrain the group went through was very rough. It was tougher then expected as the group had to take several breaks along the way. Some narrowly came close to slipping and falling down the hills.

The ground became slippery from the heavy showers that drenched the town. The house's exterior was dark green colored, which explained why no one has discovered the house recently.

The house blended in very well with the trees in the woods, which were very thick. The house was in good condition despite not being used for a long period of time.

The door had a latch that had to be lifted up to open it. Everyone walked inside the house and the door was locked once everyone was inside. There was no beds in the house, nothing to use for cooking, and no TVs.

The house had an air conditioning unit, but it was disabled, so everyone opened up the windows. The group had to make themselves comfortable wherever they could. The children set up their sleeping bags in the living room.

The benefits of the house were that it had carpeting throughout the house. The blue carpeting was in great condition and had not been touched for a while. There was running water as was mentioned and surprisingly electricity.

Despite the electricity, there was no light bulbs, so candles had to be used to light up the house. The walking the group had to go through substantially tired them out. The children took their shoes off.

The kids wearing socks also took them off, since their socks were wet after water seeped into their shoes. It gave them the burden of not having to wear wet shoes and socks and allowed their feet to dry.

The Parkinsons, Laura, Priscilla, Shan, Stevenson, Corey, Horace, Helen, Ivan, Dora, Nathan, and the juvenile kids were the exceptions as they choose to keep their shoes on.

Anyone wearing jackets, vests, secondary shirts, or hats also took them off. The children were eating as the heater for the house was activated to keep them warm. It was also time for another loose end to be tied.

"Keith, since we're now in a safe and secure place from everything, why don't we get to that thing we never finished? It's time we get serious on our town." said a determined Bart.

He and the other kids really wanted to know what happened to Springfield. Keith gave Bart and the others a nod as he took off his sunglasses.

"It's time for us to finally understand why our lives have sucked in Springfield, since the day we were born." said Richard.

Everyone was ready to hear what had to be said as Keith rolled up the sleeves on his shirt. Some stopped eating as they listened.

"Very well, it's time for you guys to be blown away by what we know. Getting to the point about that missile. It was detonated in Springfield around the late 1980s. Some of you probably figured that out by now.

The explosion took place in the same forest we slept in the previous day. A lot of work went into making sure no trace of the missile could ever be found. Basically, Springfield pulled a Rosewell on that incident." said Keith.

Some gasped, while others weren't surprised to hear that missile detonated in Springfield. It was surreal that they slept in the same area where the explosion took place.

"Someone attempted to smuggle that missile into the middle of the town, but they were stopped by some of the residents that lived in the forest at the time. The bomb was timed and it destroyed a large area of the forest.

Even though some lives were lost in the forest, the explosion happening in that area spared the rest of the town from total destruction. Some may have noticed how younger most of the trees were in the forest.

Only a small percentage of the trees survived the explosion. Those trees you guys saw on the ground were the ones sent flying into the air like rag dolls. They've been dead for over forty years now." said Henry.

The children were in disbelief. It was like they were hearing about a horror movie as they wondered why they never knew about this. Why this was never mentioned at school in Springfield's history.

"I heard about what happened to the folks that lived there. Most of our daddy's family did not survive the explosion. They use to live in that same area where we slept last night. My mom, our dad, were one of the few to make it." said Mary Spuckler.

It was unexpected to hear that the Spuckler family saved Springfield, many years ago. Mary and her siblings, Q-Bert, Dylan, and Tiffany were the only kids from the Spuckler family that came along.

"I still can't believe daddy cried like that. Momma had to calm him down for days after talking about it." said Dylan.

It was devastating for everyone to hear about what happened to Cletus. They could not imagine what he went through years ago.

"So your father knew about that explosion and what almost happened in Springfield that night?" asked Lisa.

Dylan, Mary, Q-Bert, and Tiffany gave her a nod as everyone began to chatter about it. Many were wondering why Cletus never came forward with it, even with the physical evidence clearly present.

"We're sorry to hear about what happened on your father's side of the family. Your father must be really tough to handle such a burden for a long period of time." said Priscilla.

"Thing that bothers me, how come none of us ever heard about it? This is crazy, other people had to have seen or heard about that explosion. A man, who lost everyone that loved him isn't being recognized for it." said Bart.

Mary looked at Bart and was about to start speaking to him, when her brother spoke before she could say anything.

"Sorry Mary, but I think I should say something. We can't stay quiet about what happened forever." said Q-Bert.

Mary could see that Q-Bert really wanted to say something about this as she gave him a nod. Q-Bert needed to get something off his chest about the subject.

"I don't care what anyone says about our dad. He's still our father and we believe what he said about that day. Don't know how our father's done it, but he doesn't mention that day a lot.

Most people in town think he's a crazy drunk talking about it. That's why none of y'all ever hear about this. They arrogantly discredit everything he says and it's a complete injustice." said Q-Bert.

Bart and the other children understood. It was frustrating to everyone that their parents ignored this for long periods of time, even going as far as to discredit people who tried to talk about it.

"We know why the folks in town discredited him. When it was discovered what had happened, things changed forever in Springfield, and for the worst sadly. The remains of the truck, which transported the missile was found.

While no one survived the explosion, enough of the truck was still in tact and it was determined that the the truck came from Shelbyville. This made things very personal between both towns.

It's bad enough both towns still had a rivalry dating back to the founding of both towns. There was a tremendous amount of tension between the towns. One side accused the other of plotting a terrorist attack and the other denied it, claiming it was a vigilante attack by an insane person.

Both towns were closed off from each other for a few months after the explosion. Visitors to either town had to go through a serious background check, plus the borders were heavily guarded.

There was reports of gunfire taking place between both towns in the night. The motive for the attack was never known and we will likely never find out.

People from both towns were being paranoid, accusing each other of betraying the town. Some even looked for a reason to accuse someone of treason." said Kenny.

"The mayor of Springfield, at that time made a bold, yet tough decision to form some sort of diplomacy between the two towns. The decision didn't sit well with many in Springfield, since they wanted revenge for the attempted attack.

That outcome is what led to the decline of Springfield. That is part of the reason why Mayor Quimby easily won the election in the late 80s in the first place. After that whole thing with Shelbyville, everyone in Springfield lost faith in the old mayor and wanted him out.

Quimby's predecessor beat him before, but that was due to the fact Quimby made a lot of mistakes that costed him the first election. Quimby at the time was new to politics, so he made a lot of mistakes with his first campaign.

One of those mistakes should of costed him the election for Mayor the second time around, but many were too blind to see it. When Quimby won the second election for mayor, all hell would break loose.

The folks in town would get their wish with that clueless idiot and his lame ass policies. This would carry over to their kids, who at the time were teenagers, and would be your parents.

They made Quimby look like he was God for crying out loud. Like they had mock elections in schools and everyone voted for Quimby. That's how badly everyone wanted the previous mayor gone.

After the botched explosion, the threat of a civil war between the two towns got the attention of the government. They sent troops to both Springfield and Shelbyville to prevent any chances of a civil war. The smartest thing the government has ever done for either town." said Priscilla.

"After the government successfully ended any chances of a civil war, an effect took place in town. It was kind of like the butterfly effect. A few years prior to the explosion, Charles Montgomery Burns opened the power plant everyone knows about to this very day.

A lot of hippies protested the hell out of that power plant and boy were they right about it not being good. Then in the late 1980s, Joe Quimby becomes mayor of Springfield.

I guess everyone here has by now heard about the insane things Burns and Quimby have done to the town. Burns and Quimby have barely done anything that's improved Springfield's way of life.

Charles is a classic case of a horrible businessman. The power plant failed so many inspections, it puts everyone's lives in danger every single day. The poor conditions are sooner or later going to lead to Springfield's downfall.

I bet all the money Charles wished he had it's going to happen. Quimby would rather be sleeping with the whores in town. Cheating on his wife is enough to get him taken to court by his wife, but she's just as much of a pussy as he is.

So your parents and grandparents voted for a guy, who has no respect for woman and no respect for our town. Wonderful life we're having so far and look at the hell that's been raised in the process.

The man has no shame for his own actions. We're also fully aware of the time he rerouted planes to fly over everyone's neighborhood, so he could sleep with some bitch and get it on, if you know what I mean." said Kenny.

Some of the children were disgusted by what Kenny said, but the other kids didn't mind and some even giggled at the remark.

"Ask yourselves this question. How come after the power plant opened, someone attempted to blow up Springfield with a missile? Doesn't that seem odd to you guys?" said Raven.

The children thought about it and didn't understand why it was odd. Lisa was thinking and suddenly had an idea as to why Raven asked that question.

"Are you guys telling us that Mr. Burns opening up that power plant, whoever tried to blow up Springfield, and Quimby being elected were all somehow planned out from the beginning?" said Lisa.

The Parkinsons gave Lisa a nod, which caused everyone in the house to gasp. Some thought there was no way this could be true, due to Shelbyville's history with Springfield.

"But how is that possible? I thought everyone in our town hated everyone in Springfield, especially back then. Why would someone from our town associate themselves with someone from Springfield?" said Shelby.

"We had a feeling there was a connection between those three events, because the way they happened was too coincidental. Sadly we don't have the proof, but there is proof around.

We know the proof is in our town. Shelby, money can make people do crazy stuff, especially if you're given a lot of it. This is a major conspiracy and it needs to be dealt with." said Keith.

Everyone was stunned at the recent information that everything was planned out. The information they were being told was beyond description and they wondered how they were going to tell people about this.

"This is so deep guys, not even the Mafia in Springfield knows this is going on. Fat Tony, doesn't even know he's being ripped off by these guys everyday. It happens right in front of his face too.

For him to not know what's going on in his town, the same town he claims he runs, shows even he's incompetent as well. Sorry Michael, but it's so incredible that even your father hasn't caught wind of this happening." said Raven.

Hearing that the Springfield Mafia never knew this, just made things even more crazy than they already were. Fat Tony's son, Michael was stunned by what he was being told. It was hard to believe the mafia had never been acknowledged by the illegal business going on behind their back.

"Damn, I never thought our town was this messed up. Things just can't get any worst with Springfield." said Bart.

Henry started to laugh, which was a sign to everyone that he was about to say something really serious to everyone.

"I'm sorry, I had to laugh. I like you guys, but man all of you are naive. Years ago and even today, you had to screw other people to get ahead in this game they call life. If you didn't, you lose this game and you lost big time.

That's how the world works everyone. You have to screw everyone to survive, your neighbors, your friends, even your own family. Everyone's parents here are guilty as sin for what happened to the Spucklers. They're also guilty of extortion, robbery, harassment, bribery, illegal business, and even murder." said Henry.

Everyone could not believe what they were hearing. Some really thought Henry was joking around with them, but the look in his eye told a different story.

"He's not joking around, what he just said is basically what many of you're parents are guilty of. Illegal business, Gary Chalmers is also in league with Mr. Burns and Joe Quimby, so they rig every possible thing you can imagine.

The grades for everyone at school, they've rigged those to steal government funding in the past and to this day. They get richer, while Springfield gets poorer, and the kids in Springfield get dumber.

You guys think Waverly Hills has it easy, they're transportation funding got cut two weeks ago, so they now have to take public transportation to get to school and early in them morning too.

Their agenda, to control you guys into making stupid decisions, like voting idiotic perverted freaks, like Quimby's doofus son and any other incompetent candidate that comes along to run for mayor.

Those IQ tests you guys had not too long ago were also rigged. They've also bribed the overachievers into covering this up, so no one would figure it out.

Then they produce some imaginary excuse as to why their kids are struggling. They're ruining the lives of many here on a large scale and I for one am not going to let this continue. " said Keith.

Everyone began to realize the pattern of everything that's been taking place. Kids were told off by their parents for doing so poorly in school. This angered many, who now wanted revenge against everyone involved.

Chuck gritted his teeth and got up. Chuck getting up was not a good sign as some got clear away from him. Even though he wasn't much of a troublemaker, he has been known to attack and even bully other kids.

Chuck was seething, due to his father belittling him for years. Now he finds out there is a chance he was put on a path to failure. Chuck walked towards the nearest window and punched out the window.

The window shattered and his hands were cut up as a result of the breaking glass. Blood began to drip from his hands as he started punching the wall of the house. Some kids were able to grab Chuck and pull him away from the window.

They brought him to Kenny, who grabbed the depressed child and was able to calm him down by hugging him. Chuck soon was quiet as Kenny stroked the boy's hair. Laura cleaned and wrapped bandages on his hands.

"I know your mad over what you just heard, but don't let it get to you kid. We're all in the same boat and we're better than this. All of you knowing this will be those zoo animal's downfall." said Kenny.

Chuck understood, but was still upset over the information. The rest of the group felt bad for Chuck as they were equally just as frustrated as he was.

"Sorry if this is hurting everyone, but at least you're not being lied too anymore. I actually almost killed someone just hearing about this. Not proud of that, but you don't mess with a hornet's nest or you get stung." said Keith.

Everyone understood as things got back to normal. The group went back to eating, including Chuck who sat back down next to Nina, who held onto her brother.

"There was a family from Shelbyville, who lived in Springfield. The rivalry started up again, after Shelbyville accused Springfield of being cheap with their products. It was over a shipment of clothes that fell apart after a day.

Shelbyville planned to sue the city for damages and any attempts at negotiating went out the door. Now the family didn't want to participate in the war, so everyone treated them like trash.

Things got so bad for them, they wanted to go back to Shelbyville. Unfortunately, they were denied access back into the town. To make things worse, word got out that they tried to leave Springfield.

The family was sealed in their home and the house was burned down, killing the entire family. Basically, parents with four kids were killed for being the only humanitarians in that situation. Unless your family moved to Springfield, I will tell you everyone this.

Everyone involved in that, deserve to die for it. No ifs or buts, everyone should be guillotined, hung, burned at the stake, ol sparky, whatever they have for that. That right there is a case of not only screwing someone over, but premeditated murder and hate.

Those same people aren't even good to each other. Bart and Lisa, contrary to what you've been told, your mom was a bully at school and secretly still is. People lie, cheat, steal, intimidates, and murder innocent people." said Henry.

The group was stunned to hear about the Shelbyville family that was killed in Springfield. Bart and Lisa were particularly shocked when they were told that their mom was a bully and still is. At that moment, everyone could not imagine how the Shelbyville family felt.

"That's exactly why the missile was snuck into Springfield in the first place. That's also why everyone has hated Springfield, because of those cheap clothes they sold years ago.

The missile was revenge for what happened to the Johnson family, even though our town denied their request to return to Shelbyville. Our town may have been guilty for not letting them back and we accepted that.

Of course, everyone's parents in Springfield were the aggressors in that situation. As a result, they killed them and painted us as the enemy for no reason." said Shelby as his friends clapped in agreement.

"He's right, no matter what bullshit story Springfield wants to come up with, they're the reasons why Shelbyville attempted to retaliate against them. It's also the reason why this beef has been going on.

Surprisingly, not everyone was involved in the demise of the Johnson family. A select few didn't participate in that disgusting act and some that moved to Springfield don't even know about it, yet." said Damion.

"They viciously tortured that poor family and then burned them alive. Their kids were ages four, eight, and two that were ten years old. They never had a chance to start their lives.

Hell, they never even made it to Middle school, just savagely killed for no reason at all. Think about that really hard everyone. Imagine if someone took you and your family's life over a technicality?

It's like we've been saying for years, there is no justice when the victims are blamed or killed for doing the right thing in a difficult situation. That's the McCoy of Springfield's problems, zero accountability when things go wrong and the credit being given to the wrong people." said Raven.

Everyone could not disagree with Raven on that. The group felt sad that an innocent family was killed in their town's honor, if they can even look at it as being honorable at all. Bart and Lisa had a difficult time believing their mom was involved in this.

"Before I believe any of this, I'd like to see the proof of this. There is no way my mom can be a murder. It's just not her, it can't be here. She's afraid of the unknown for crying out loud." said Bart in denial.

Raven pulled out a folder from a suitcase she carried. She didn't have a backpack, since her brothers volunteered to carry the stuff they needed for the journey. She looked into the folder and looked up at Bart and Lisa.

"Bart and Lisa, are you two sure you want to see this? These are copies of the real files that the agency has on everyone in Springfield. Get ready to see your mother's true colors in this. Also, sorry you have to see this." said Raven.

She handed the file to Bart, who held the file on her mother. He was afraid to look at the file as was Lisa herself. Everyone could feel the tension from the siblings. Bart finally drew the courage to open the file as he took a deep breath and looked inside.

What he saw was shocking. He could see that Marge was one of several people that murdered the Johnson family, but it wasn't the only thing she was accused of. Marge had also committed various crimes in the past.

This included robbery, racketeering, being involved with a scandal where thousands of dollars were stolen from a charity, several instances where she threatened to murder a number of people, and multiple cases of harassment.

Lisa could also see what Bart was reading and it was hard to believe this was her own mother. She sat down and looked at Bart, wondering what to say or how to explain what they were reading.

"Those accusations are not as bad as the others, if that makes you feel any better. I mean there is nothing we can really say, other than the skeleton is finally out of the closet.

This isn't some horror film or a Children of the Corn nonsense, this is real life everyone. Martin, your father is one of the people she threatened and it was over stock, since your father is a stock broker." said Henry.

Martin was stunned to hear his father was one of the people threatened by Marge years ago. Bart and Lisa could only remain quiet as they kept reading the file over and over again.

It hit them that their mother was much more of a monster then their father ever was. These were lows not even Homer could be capable of sinking too, even when drunk.

"This is depressing to hear about what happened to that family. Maybe we deserve this, since those people screwed up. Basically we're getting screwed no matter what we do in Springfield." said a boy named Sinclair.

Sinclair is one of the boys from the Springfield Juvenile. He wears a black sleeveless shirt, a Hawaiian shirt left unbutton, and long blue pants. He has yellow skin and blue hair in a combination of a spiky Mohawk and a rattail.

"Most of the faculty at Springfield Elementary also don't like most students excelling, especially black students. They're extremely biased, racist, and self righteous ass kissers, who sold their souls to the devil." said Henry.

"Oh, here we go with the racist stuff being mentioned. Besides all of us getting beat up like bad dogs at school, they're also racist too? Just when things can't get any worst with Springfield." said an angry Lewis.

"Yes and if there is anything more we don't like, are racist and bigoted people. Anyone that was racist was stabbed or shot on sight at our old school. There was no tolerance for that garbage around our school." said Olivia.

"This is a damn paradox. No matter how good we do in school, we're still going to fail, because someone is rigging the grades. That's just messed up and they're racist on top of everything." replied Sinclair.

"How are they allowed to get away with that, without anyone saying anything? There must be people that know about this, it's just impossible to believe no one saw anything." said Nathan.

"There is, but they risk getting bullied, discredited, and fired for even revealing this. Everyone that knows about this has kept their mouth shut for years." said Damion.

"We were told never to tell anyone about these grades being rigged or we would be severely punished." said Martin.

Martin and many other overachievers felt guilty over what they've been keeping secret. Others felt bad that the overachievers were being forced to keep quiet against their own will.

"Mmya, we'll probably be punished now, since everyone knows about it. Not going to be looking forward to it." said Database.

"It no longer matters now, Kyle. We're all getting the boot, no matter what we do. Who cares if they're on to us or not." said an angry Wendell.

"What really pisses me off is they have assholes, like Jimbo and his two bitches that run that school. Nothing is done about it from Seymour or Chalmers. That's their job to deal with these things.

They even encourage bullying in the school, which is why we're going to have a field day with this. The faculty are going to wish they dropped dead of a heart attack." said Henry.

"To the overachievers, regardless of what your political views are, everyone on all sides have been screwing Springfield for the last four decades. Neighbors, friends, and eve family are screwing each other.

The last decent mayor we had was removed from office. Mayor Quimby is a Democrat and he's taking a piss on everyone's lives here. He's done it to most, if not everyone in Springfield when they were teens.

Mr. Burns is a Republican and he continues to poison the air, environment, and every person in Springfield with that crappy power plant, that he claims no one in town can live without.

Until everyone in Springfield gets their heads out of their asses, this is going to continue until that power plant experiences a meltdown and blows everyone away.

It's going to happen sooner or later. When it does, this time no one will be able to stop it and I bet there will be no miracle either. People, like Richard O'Hara aka The Rich Texan are no better either.

Those people need to get their asses straightened out, otherwise we're going to be right back where we started. You guys wanted the truth, you got the dark truth about this town's past." said Damion.

Damion's comment spelled the message loud and clear for everyone. They knew they had to do something once they get back home, before things start to get worse.

"The "I don't care" attitude in town came along after the explosion. Few cared about the environment in the town, except for the hippies that protested against the power plant throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

This is haunting Springfield to this day, and almost destroyed Springfield during the dome incident. People had huge egos back then and still do. That's also another problem that needs to be addressed.

That's why many ignored and called Cletus crazy about the explosion. They didn't want the kid and his deceased family being recognized for saving the town.

That was done out of spite and it's unfair. On top of that, the lack of principles being set is ridiculous and scary at the same time. None of us wanted to mention this earlier, but it's about our school.

They were about to shutdown our school, again. This time, no test or extra funding was going to be available to save it. Nothing they could possibly think of cutting was going to save the school. No money is available, since all funding has dried up and because someone stole funding for the school.

The government caught up to that crap and they've frozen all funding to Springfield Elementary, until an investigation has been completed. There goes our future guys, mixed with thousands of tons of scrap metal.

Springfield Elementary, in order for it to be better, taxes will need to be raised throughout the town by three dollars and seventy-five cents. That's just to bring the school up to regulations, which the powers that be won't approve.

The school failed ninety-five percent of the federal regulations, including lunches, building safety, and overall safe environment. A lot of teachers at the school should be terminated.

Our school shouldn't even be seeing a drop of funding to begin with. We've rode on decrepit buses and trains that held up better then the school. The school should've been closed six and half years ago and demolished.

The only reason it wasn't, those cheesepuffs were making up imaginary promises that the school will be brought up to regulations. The sheep bought their stories and now our asses are paying for it.

Anyone that runs a decent business, would never put their employees in a dangerous environment. Henry is right, if you guys believe this isn't real, you've been drinking way too much kool-aid and are indeed naive." said Keith.

The children looked at each other in shock. No one at school had any idea that the school was going to be closed down again. This was just another round of unexpected events at their school. Everyone couldn't deny the seriousness of the situation they were in.

"Y'all were born into this world with nothing and we had to work hard to get to the top. Hearing all the shady things going on in Springfield, they're willing to put their priorities over your priorities and that isn't right.

More than half of you guys have divorced parents and some of y'all had more than two fathers already. That's bad overall and makes things difficult for many of you to function in society. You guys are known as average, overachievers, or underachievers.

Well you guys got to those current grades somehow, because there is nothing around that indicates you guys were moved onto the next grade out of spite. Gary doesn't have the guts to do that.

Skinner is nothing more than Chalmers' whipping boy, on his last legs. That's all Skinner is good for and he has no vision for the school, cause he's pushed around like bitch." said Shan.

"Shan, I'm glad you brought that up. Another serious matter that needs to be addressed. My dad will bring terrorist charges against everyone involved in the murder of the Johnson family.

There is no excuse for that, they terrorized in their own town for weeks before being killed. That's flat out terrorism and there will be justice for it." said Keith.

Everyone was shocked hearing that last sentence. Many had stopped eating just hearing what Keith had said. Terrorism was the last thing anyone would of thought the adults would be charged with.

"On top of what Keith said, due to the significant extant of how badly abused many of you have been, plus what the school's faculty is doing to you, and the Juvenile kids being abused, it's being considered as an act of terrorism against minors.

If convicted and there is overwhelming evidence, many of them could be facing the death penalty for it. It's a capital offense, especially since you're lives have been put in serious danger many times.

Others, if they're lucky, life in prison without parole. I hate to say this, but that's the reality of how serious this is. They made the decision to screw with your minds, they must pay the piper." said Kenny.

The group was left quiet hearing this. The parents of many of them could be taken to jail and likely executed for the crimes against them. No one in the group has ever thought about this possibility.

"The government isn't interested in them, yet, but the time will come to face their crimes. You do the crime, you do the time as they say." said Henry.

"We live with our older brother and not with our parents. Our parents provide some money for us, but the rest of everything else we take care of.

We're emancipated from our parents. Don't worry it wasn't because of anything bad or any poor relationship. We did it to get an early start in life and it's worked out good for the most part." said Henry.

Hearing that the Parkinsons no longer lived with their parents offered more explanations about the family. It was impressive that they were able to find a house deep in the forest.

"Our parents literally left us in the middle of a deep forest and challenged us to find them. It took us a few days, but we were able to do it. We also had to proved we could handle beatings, so they did fight us and boy it was hell for us." said Damion.

The children couldn't imagine doing something like that themselves. Some couldn't believe their were parents that actually did those things.

"He's right, but back on topic. The situation we're in isn't just Shelbyville up to no good as usual again. This is the concluding chapter of what happened with the Johnson family. Springfield's past is back." said Keith.

"Okay, I'm back from my little world inside my head. You guys mentioned something like that before. What do you guys mean by the concluding chapter?" asked Lisa.

"That picture of the missile wasn't the only ones we found. We found other pictures that showed what was left of the house of the Johnson family, the forest, the outrage, and a picture of the mayor's decision." said Keith as he began to reach into his pockets.

He pulled out several images from his pocket and laid them out for everyone to see. The images were in black and white, but they could clearly see the destruction the explosion caused.

They also could see the fire that destroyed the Johnson's house. Everyone's attention had focused on that picture. Looking at it, they knew a whole family had died in that very house and it was caused by their parents.

"Some of you haven't fully grasped the situation. We saw some sloppy defenses out there and you guys need to step up. That's why Henry went off on you guys, even though Springfield doesn't deserve a statue.

These guys in Shelbyville are going all out to stop us from getting the statue back. They have long ranged missiles and they'll use them, when the time comes." said Priscilla.

As much as the children didn't like what was being said, they had no choice, but to take this seriously. They were miles away from home in enemy territory, so they knew they had to get the statue.

"Well we need to get the statue and get out of this place before things get bad. What are we going to do?" Bart asked.

"Very simple Bart, locate the statue and get the hell out of this town alive. Go back to Springfield and return the statue to it's rightful place. Afterward, we can talk about redemption for the Johnson family." said Keith as he sipped some juice.

"We're really glad you guys told us about all of this. What I want to know is why would the adults keep this a secret from us? All of this is just useless madness and an innocent family was killed over it." Lisa said sadly.

"All of us are better off leaving Springfield and living somewhere else. It may take a life time before the damage to the town can be reversed. Hell, knock Springfield over and let nature take back the land." said Henry.

Everyone agreed to the idea of possibly leaving Springfield for good, rather than dealing with it like many have done in the past. Bart sighed as something was bothering him, once more. Everyone turned their attention to him again.

"Is there something wrong Bart? You have anything you need to add to what's been discussed?" said Priscilla.

"I have a confession to make to everyone here and you guys will be mad at me. Everything that's been said is true. I was told about the same thing by Mrs. Krabappal before she... before she went into that big school in the sky.

I thought it was strange that she would tell me out of all the kids at school, but she did it for some reason. I think she knew what was happening to the school, which is why she told me." Bart said feeling guilty.

Everyone was surprised by the information as they chattered among themselves. Bart prepared to get shunned by his friends and classmates.

"Bart, how come you never told anyone about the school being in this situation? How come you never told me or anyone at home about this?" said Lisa.

"If I told anyone, no one would believe me, since I'm well known for lying and making up stories. I'm really sorry everyone, I ruined your lives by not telling you guys." said Bart sadly.

"Well Bart, I can't argue with that." said Lisa, who sighed thinking about the many times Bart has lied.

She wished her brother didn't have to lie about things. Despite Bart admitting he knew about what was going on at school, no one was angry at him. Many were happy Bart told them.

"I really miss her. What really kicks me in the butt is that I never came forward with the information. I feel like I let her down and I let all of you guys down." said Bart who was getting agitated.

"The reason I gave up on school by the time I became a fourth grader was another reason. I had suspicions of some illegal business at the school. Seymour mentioned something that he told me to forget, but I never did.

He mentioned something about funding they had, that they will never use. The idiot was speaking with Chalmers on the phone and forgot I was there. He told me to forget I heard that." he said as he looked at everyone.

Bart had essentially confirm what the Parkinsons had told everyone, since things were making sense to everyone.

"Bart, don't beat yourself up. Everything she said about Springfield Elementary is true and already happening. We're still your friends, even though you didn't tell us." said Milhouse.

Everyone agreed with Milhouse, for once on something. Bart smiled as he felt better about the situation, but still wondered how he was going to look at his mom the same way.

"Do you guys want to live the life they're living right now? This is your last chance and if you guys blow it, well there goes your lives and all this effort would be for nothing. Please wake up." said Henry.

It was a bold message from Henry that was sent loud and clear to everyone in the house. They had loose ends to tie when they got back home to Springfield.


	7. The Reconciliation

Shelby sighed over the situation he and his friends were in. Shelby was just like Bart. He would do many things, but this was something far beyond a simple rivalry.

"The truth is none of us wanted to be part of this. We were thrown into it without being told the truth and against our own will. Some threatened to disown their own kids if they refused to participate." said Shelby.

The group had mixed feelings about Shelby and his friends, but deep down they felt sorry for them. They too know how it felt to be put in a tough position against their own will.

"By now, none of this should surprise you guys. It seems that we discover another page to the story every time. This story is only getting more and more interesting by each revelation." replied Kenny.

"Shelbyville and Springfield are one in the same as far as we see it. Just two towns fighting over something very stupid, that everyone wasn't around to experience." said Damion.

"Don't blame yourself, Shelby. You and your friends are being used as pawns in this war. At least you don't have to worry about people trying to attack you in your own school or neighborhood." said Keith as he grabbed his shirt.

He lifted his shirt and everyone gasped. Keith's body had multiple scars, some being stab wounds and gunshot wounds, while the rest were bruising from past fights. Keith lowered his shirt and sighed.

"These wounds are something no ordinary kid would survive. To tell you guys the truth, none of us should even be alive. We've technically died six times already. We've been stabbed and shot at back home.

We either seriously injured or killed those rivals. I'm using rival very lightly just to throw that out there. It's something we didn't want to do, but it's better to be judged by twelve then to be carried out by six as they say.

All the shootings were justified and we didn't face any criminal charges. After that, people knew not to mess with us. Wasn't the attention we wanted, but we were put in those positions not the other way around." said Keith.

"You call that a scar Keith? Get out of here, this is a real scar." said Raven as she lifted her shirt half way up.

She had a long scar on her stomach, which looked like the wound was done by a large knife. The wound was still healing from whatever caused the scar. Many were an awe seeing the scar as Raven put her shirt down.

"Okay Raven, you beat me there I'll tell you that much. It goes to show, fights can lead to scars like those, which is why fights can be risky. You never know who will pull out a weapon." said Keith.

"It also shows some boys aren't much of a man either. That's probably why we had to shut some kids up in the process. They would rather resort to using weapons then fighting fist to fist." said Olivia.

"Exactly, Olivia. We became tougher over the years at our school in South Bronx. We would commonly have school fights at the playground. The fights were basically to show who was tougher.

There was no discrimination or sexism. Boys fought other boys and girls. Brothers and sisters even went against each other and no surprise, those were the most popular fights at school.

It showed who was the tougher sibling. We fought each other so many times, I lost count. Whoever won a certain amount of fights earned a certain level of respect, which increased as you fought older or veteran kids." said Henry.

"At Morris Park if you didn't have at least a switchblade, you were screwed. The Kindergartners there were wild, fast, noisy, and unpredictable. They were also very dangerous in groups.

It was like the kids from the movie, "Children of the Corn", high on steroids and testosterone. Many think Kindergartners are cute. When eight to ten of them gang up on you with switchblades, the mood changes." said Damion.

Hearing that these things actually happened at a school sounded completely science fiction to many, but it wasn't. It made everyone feel more fortunate to be born and raised in Springfield.

"Did any of you guys lose a fight before? If I lost a fight to someone, I know you guys did at some point." asked Nelson.

"Not really, but we've had many draws before. My first one was to her on her first day of school." Keith said as he pointed at Priscilla, who was sitting next to him.

"Despite her cute looks, this sweet girl here is tougher than she looks. Now Priscilla was dubbed the luckiest girl on Earth after me and her went face to face. She got that nickname after she won three fights, all against veteran kids the same day.

After meeting her, our lives as a whole changed forever. She's been there for us when we needed help, especially with the shootings and stabbings that took place at school and outside of school.

She was there for us, when Henry got injured after an attempted set up, by a so called friend. Now betrayal was rare at our school, but it did happen. Sadly, the kid let his ego get the best of him.

She was also there for me after I got stabbed by the same kid who injured Henry. That kid was killed by Raven, despite us telling her not to do it. We helped Priscilla fit in with the tough crowd." said Keith.

It was amazing to many to hear the history surrounding the Parkinsons and Priscilla. Priscilla had her arm around Keith, which was a clear sign she really liked him.

"Keith, you know I still had a feeling she was different and that she would be a challenge. You didn't believe me, so you got your ass kicked, matter of fact both of you destroyed each other anyway." Henry said as he giggled.

Keith gave Henry a light punch to the shoulder as he and the others laughed. Damion pointed and laughed at his brother, who didn't mind being laughed at. Keith high fived Damion and hugged Henry.

"I have to keep these two young brothers of mine in check and it isn't easy. These two were born, six months after I was born. Unlike me, they came into this world fighting, according to what our mom told us.

Damion and Henry, are both something. When these two fight each other, it's like the Gulf War is happening all over again. When they fight at school, it always ended with a double knockout.

Damion and Henry always gave our parents issues and they have an attitude. Our parents had to find ways of calming them down without resorting to drugs. It's not easy, but our parents have the patience of a saint.

Ever since Henry was diagnosed with dyslexia, he thinks we baby him too much. Maybe he's right, maybe he isn't. We don't know really if we do or not. It's a force of habit when you have a family member with a disability.

No matter how tough Henry comes off on anyone, he's really honest about things in the world. That's why he was popular at school, because of that honest mentality and how simple he says it." said Keith as he held Henry.

Many liked the relationship between the three brothers as well as their sisters. The girls thought it was cute to see two brothers hugging each other. Kenny winked at his younger brother over the comment.

"Being twins, Damion and Henry always do the same things, which at times drives some crazy. Same goes for Olivia and Rolly. They're just like their twin brothers, except calmer. Raven is just like little Keith." said Kenny.

"Looks like me and you have something in common." said Bart to Keith as he looked at Lisa. "She punched me twice, so far, but it won't happen again. I told Lisa I'll end up getting her back one of these days.

The first time shit hit me, I didn't expect her to punch me in the face for insulting her. It's true, me and Lisa are equally matched when it comes to fights."

Bart began to blush after admitting some of the fights Lisa won against him, causing Lisa and all the girls to giggle at him. Some girls were thinking of ways they can tease Bart.

"Things don't always go to plan Bart. As for our family, we're multicultural. Our dad's side of the family came from Scotland and Norway. Our mom's side of the family is from Jamaica, the Netherlands, and Italy.

All of us, including our parents have red hair, but our parents dye their hair to change their appearance. At least that turned out well, since some people don't always do a good enough job with hair dye.

Anyway, a lot of family there and you have to see our reunions. It's two weeks of partying like you've never partied before. You will get tired of partying after going to one of these reunions." said Raven.

Everyone was impressed by the Parkinsons' family background and how diverse it was.

"That's incredible that you guys have family from all those places." said Bart.

"Yes it is. Though, when these reunions happen, all hell breaks loose." said Rolly.

"You wouldn't think at one time our dad was a prankster. That vest and tie he wears is nothing more than a mask that hides what he use to do as a kid. He would climb onto the roof of moving subway cars, on the elevated portion of the route.

He would shoot paintballs at people's windows, the laundry hanging outside, and the buildings themselves as the train went by. His friends, who also work in the government took pictures of themselves shooting at people's windows.

That's where we get our taste for adventures from. Craziness runs in our family and it never changes. No one in our family is immune to that." said Damion.

Damion speaking about his father gave several kids an idea of what they were going to do, once they get back to Springfield. Some even wrote down what they were planning on doing.

"Damion, you just gave these kids a reason to start raising hell in our town. Just don't shoot paintballs at our house is all I'm asking. I feel bad, well not really for the adults that are going to have to deal with that." Kenny said jokingly.

"Kenny, you did the same thing too when you were our age. Matter of fact, you took us on several of these trips before. Don't try to play innocent with us now." said Raven as she laughed.

The rest of the group laughed with her. The Parkinsons reminded some of the children of their own families.

"I swear, all seven of you are so ridiculous when it comes to these family moments. Talk about being immature." said Rolly.

"Shut up Rolly. You act like you didn't do it either. You were the first one to shoot up a house with those paintballs as we remembered." said Keith as he laughed.

"You guys quickly got back inside the train and didn't do anything until getting off at the last stop. That was fun, especially when you took me on one of those adventures for the first time." replied Priscilla.

"Okay, maybe I was the first one to do it, but still it wouldn't help to keep yourselves in check once and a while." said Rolly.

"See guys, this is what I had to deal with. They're done speaking, since you guys know just about everything now. You also know how these eight clowns behave in moments like this, nothing new." chuckled Laura.

"She's right we are, but one more thing we want you guys to know. This whole rivalry between Shelbyville and Springfield, nature has a way of perfecting itself. It will happen regardless of the outcome." said Keith.

The children took note of Keith's statement as they chattered with each other. Kenny and Laura were busy talking with each other afterward. Lisa was speaking with the other girls when a rubberband hit her in the back of the head.

"Ow, Bart! Gosh, you're so immature around me." Lisa yelled as her brother pointed and laughed at her.

Bart had also convinced the other boys to attack the girls too. Soon several other boys started flicking rubber bands at the girls. It was boys versus girls and the boys were winning, as they pummeled the girls with dozens of rubber bands.

"Look at the sissies run from us. They can't fight back against us, they're probably going to stay away from us." Tyler said teasingly.

"If we keep this up, we will have the room to ourselves, while the girls are far away from us." said the cool kid.

The cool kid is a boy Bart met at Cypress Elementary, when the Simpson family moved to Cypress Creek. Bart was having fun hitting his sister with a rubberband.

"Lisa has to band up on these things if she wants to be taken seriously." said Bart as he hit Lisa in the head again with another rubberband.

"Bart, after we drive them away, let's finish that fight we were about to have at school, which we never finished." said Erik.

"You're on Erik, what about the rest of you guys?" said Bart.

The fourth and fifth grade boys agreed as the girls ran away from the boys. Instead of getting angry, the other girls wanted to get their revenge against the boys.

Lisa started whispering to the other girls about the plan against the boys. The girls all giggled and grinned as they turned their attention back to Bart.

This caused Bart to get worried as several girls advanced upon him. The boys didn't know what was going to happen and they didn't want to be involved with it.

"Why are you girls giving me that look for? What are you going to do with me and why are you going to do it?" Bart said nervously.

"It's time we teach you a lesson about respect. Bart, you will respect us girls around here." said Janey.

"Let's get him girls, let's show him and the boys what girl power can do." said Tanya.

Bart ran away as the girls were right behind him. Lisa split off from the group as they chased Bart around the house. The boys weren't expecting this from the girls. Lisa crouched down low near the door that led into the living room.

She knew that her brother would not be able to see her from this location. When Lisa saw Bart coming she held out her fist in his way. Bart was still looking behind him as the girls were gaining on him.

When Bart turned he slammed face first into Lisa's fist. Bart immediately went down and landed on his back. He was out cold as Lisa made sure Bart was okay. The boys were stunned at what happened.

"Nice job Lisa, I didn't think he would go out like a light. For a kid that's really tough, he goes down easily." said Gina.

"Thanks Gina. When you have a brother, you know all of their strengths and weaknesses. Even though Bart annoys me and teases me, I still love him." said Lisa.

When Bart woke up a few minutes later he was shocked to see girls holding his arms and legs down. He struggled to break free, but it was useless.

Gina, Francine, Wanda, Emily, Jenny, and Tanya were holding his arms down, so he could not push any of them off. Janey, Becky, Allison, Nina, and Melody were holding his legs down, to prevent him from kicking free.

"Lisa, there is no way he can escape from us. Go get him, show him what girls are capable of." said Jenny.

Lisa sat on top of Bart's body and started tickling Bart's belly. Bart suddenly bursted into laughter as his younger sister tickled him. The other children were laughing at Bart's humiliation.

"Say uncle Bart or I'll keep ticking you. I may even kiss you for being nice to me." Lisa said with a smile.

"I'll never give up to a girl and I won't be kissed by one." Bart said as he struggled between anger and laughter.

Lisa shrugged and continued tickling him. Bart was trapped and tried calling to some of the boys for help. Some of them refused too, because they risked getting attacked by the girls.

"Keith, please make her stop. This is really getting to me as you can see." said Bart as he continued laughing.

"Sorry, I can't. This is something between you and Lisa. I wish you luck, sugar daddy." Keith said.

All the boys started laughing at the remark Keith made, but the laughter was cut short as each girl approached the boys. The boys started backing away as the girls advanced towards them.

The boys knew the girls were going to get them. The girls didn't hesitate to wait as they tackled the boys to the floor. The girls kept the boys down as they tickled them.

The girls had no intentions on hurting the boys, so they decided to punish them in the cutest way possible. The girls had the boys beat as the boys were laughing.

A number of boys were being tickled by their own sisters. The rest of the girls picked boys they were liked or were friends with. Even the Parkinsons weren't spared from the treatment.

Keith and Priscilla were playfully punching each other in the shoulders. Damion and Henry did the same with Dora and Helen as Ivan watched them.

Ivan was giggling at everyone being punching or tickled. Laura gave Kenny a Hertz donut, which caught Kenny by surprise. Kenny returned the Hertz donut to Laura as they wrestled each other.

Bart was unable to escape and had no choice, but to give up. It was hard for him to do this, but he didn't like being tickled in front of his friends.

"Uncle! Uncle! I give up! Please get off of me and stop tickling me!" Bart yelled as he continued laughing.

Lisa stopped and got off Bart, then kissed him on the cheek to spite him. Bart wasn't too happy about being punched and then tickled practically to death by his sister. He then smiled at her as he hugged his sister.

"I'm going to get back at you for that Lisa." Bart said with a grin on his face as he looked at his sister.

"I know you will. I'll be ready for you." said Lisa as she looked at her brother.

Bart had an idea up his sleeve. He grabbed Emily and held her down as he tickled her chest. It was chaos in the house, but eventually everything calmed down. The girls let the boys up and Bart got off of Emily, who kissed Bart.

"Funny how you decided to do that to her, instead of me. I was waiting for you to strike back." said Lisa.

"Nah, it would of been too predictable for you. That's why I choose one of our cousins instead." said Bart.

Everyone began to talk with each other. Henry was with Helen, while his twin Damion was with Dora. No one knew what the relationship was between those four, but it was very interesting.

The children were interested in Ivan, who many kids found to be very cute. A number of girls surrounded the eight year old boy along with others. Bart approached Gina and wanted to speak with her.

"Gina, can I speak to you privately? I'd like to talk to you about something." Bart said to his friend.

Gina nodded as she got up and went into the kitchen with Bart, leaving the other kids to wonder what they would say to each other. They decided not to bother them about it.

"Gina, it's time I bury the hatchet with all the bad things I've done in my life. Starting with every girl that has met me. Some of them I've already talked to before this trip.

I'm almost finished with making peace with my most of my former girlfriends. I'm sorry I didn't visit you enough while you were still locked up in juvenile. I guess I forgot about you, since my life has been full of craziness.

The dome incident being one of them and the many poor choices I've made. I was afraid of what you would say when we did meet face to face, so I waited. I wasn't very mature when it came to girls and I'm still not." Bart said to her.

Gina was surprised to hear this from Bart. It was clear that Bart has changed, since the last time she and him interacted with each other.

"It's okay, Bart. Things have been rough for the both of us. I didn't think I would get out, until those kids bailed me out. I was very hesitant to go with them, since it's strange for anyone to bail someone out with no explanation.

I didn't know who they were or what they wanted with me, until they mentioned you and Lisa. Then I came along with them. Those kids are really tough. I've never seen kids that intimidating before." said Gina.

Gina stared at the window as she looked at the stars in the sky. The story flashes back to Friday afternoon, just four hours before the children would leave for Shelbyville. Gina was sitting in her jail cell alone.

The other girls were also in their cells, after coming back from the courtyard. It appeared to be another usual day at juvenile center. Just then, the guard walked in. One by one, he opened the cells for the prisoners.

The girls were let out of their cells, much to the confusion of the prisoners themselves. The girls had just returned from the courtyard, so it was strange as to why they were leaving their cells again.

"Why are we leaving our cells at this time? We just went out to the courtyard, ten minutes ago." said one of the girls.

"If I told you ladies what was happening, you wouldn't believe me. So I'm going to show you what's going on." said the guard.

The girls were confused as to what the guard meant. When the girls arrived at the lobby, the Warden was there. He paced as he looked at each girl, including Gina.

"I hope this will be the last time we see you ladies in this place. My advice for you ladies, don't look back, because we don't want to see you back here. This is your second chance at redemption, take the opportunities that come. You're free to go." said the Warden.

The girls gasped as they looked at each other. Their belongings were there, waiting for them to be claimed. Most thought the warden had gone crazy or was playing a joke on them. When they looked at the front door, four figures stood there with their arms crossed.

It was Damion, Henry, Keith, and Priscilla. They weren't alone as several other boys, who were also from the juvenile were with them. The girls quickly recognized those boys.

"These are the four that somehow bailed you ladies out along with the boys. I don't know who they are, I don't know why they did it, and I've never seen these kids anywhere in Springfield.

You ladies are no longer our business anymore. You're now their business, and you think I'm a serious guy, they make me look like Marry Poppins with an umbrella." said the guard.

The four advanced toward the girls and examined them one by one. None of the girls have ever seen these kids before, so they had no idea why they bailed them out.

"What gives? Do we even know you guys? Why did you bail us out of here?" asked Gina.

"The name is Keith, hon. As for why we bailed you girls and the boys out, we will go into further details once we're far away from this slave manufacturing factory operated by crooks like the mayor." said Keith.

Damion, Henry, Keith, and Priscilla then turned around and Henry made a gesture to the girls to follow them. Some girls did follow, but some didn't follow. Keith knew some weren't following.

"The rest of you ladies don't have to follow us and can do whatever you want. Let me tell you something, this will be the one time we're bailing you out of here. So if you end up back in this hell hole, your ass is staying here.

We're not going to have a pissing contest about your egos, because we don't have the time for it. Quite frankly, we don't give damn about egos. Either you're in or you're out, decide or we walk." said Keith as he kept walking.

The girls that refused to follow thought about what Keith said and agreed to go along with him. They grabbed their belonging and walked out of the building.

The flashback ended as Gina continued looking at the stars in the sky. Seeing the sky reminded her of the time she and Bart were on the run.

"The Parkinsons are what Springfield needs, they're the heroes Springfield deserves. For some reason I like their tough attitude and I still don't know why. Maybe it's just me being strange again.

Since I neglected to visit you while you were locked up, I'm going to make it up to you. I'm not going to tell you yet. Once we get back to Springfield then I'll tell you." Bart said with a smile.

"Until then I got a present for you that you can remember." Gina said with a grin.

Before Bart could answer, Gina gave him a punch to the arm.

"Ow what was that for." Bart said as he rubbed his arm in pain.

Gina giggled. Punching Bart brought back even more memories of when she first met him.

"I did it because I felt like it. Reminding you not to forget about me again." Gina said as she gave Bart a mischievous grin.

"It's great to have you back Gina. It's even better that you're no longer in that place anymore." Bart said with the same grin.

Gina then grabbed Bart by his shirt and then kissed him lip to lip, much to Bart's surprise. Gina had a smile on her face as she backed off. Bart was standing there stunned at what just happened.

"I really missed you Bart. I had lost hope a long time ago. I thought I would be stuck in that place forever and would never have a family. I lost hope on a lot of other things, until me and you first met.

You were the only person in my entire life that gave me hope. Your family coming to visit me, that really meant a lot to me, especially since I almost killed a Disney icon. I'll never forget what you did for me that day." said Gina.

"I felt bad when I found out you didn't. Don't worry, things will change for you, I promise." reassured Bart.

Bart and Gina hugged each other before they walked back into the living room. Bart had another girl he needed to speak with and this one was really important.

He approached Jenny, who was sitting with the other kids. Bart was hesitant to talk to Jenny, because he was afraid she would refuse to speak with him. Bart went through with it anyway.

"Jenny, can I talk to you privately? There is something very important I need to say to you." Bart said nervously.

Jenny could tell that something was on Bart's mind, so she got up. Bart and Jenny went into the kitchen. Some of the kids were wondering what Bart was going to say to her.

"Jenny, when we got shot at earlier today, it made me think about a lot of things. Anything could happen to any of us like Keith mentioned. I've been wanting to get everything that's bothering me off my chest now.

This could be the last chance to do it before tomorrow, so here I go. I'm really sorry that I lied to you throughout our relationship. I was an idiot for lying to you and I should've told you the truth from the start.

I had to handle my business with my other ex-girlfriends that have broken up with me, since things didn't go well. Except for Jessica and Nikki, who were always a challenge for me.

I'll talk about them another time. I'm probably asking too much, but do you think you can find it in your heart to forgive me?" Bart said as he looked at Jenny.

Jenny held onto Bart's hands and looked at him. She wasn't angry at him anymore and hasn't been for sometime now. She rarely mentioned what happened, ever since she got back together with Bart as close friends.

"Bart, you did hurt my feelings that day. Our entire relationship as I found out was a lie. You lied about being a good person. I was really heartbroken when you told me that you lied about yourself.

Not only did you lie to me, you lied to yourself, your soul basically. I opened my heart to you and I spent a lot of time with you. You should've told me the truth from the beginning, instead of waiting at the last minute.

You also ignored your best friend Milhouse, who took the blame for that prank you two did. I understand I was important to you, but there are other people who are your friends too." Jenny said.

Bart felt ashamed for what he did to her. He also felt the same way about how he mistreated Milhouse and now that he thought about it, Milhouse has taken the blame a lot for Bart.

"You made a surprise visit to my house, but I wasn't ready to see you yet, as you remember. After you saved the school from closing down, I decided to speak to your sister. I asked her some personal questions about you.

I wanted to know more about you, because for some strange reason I saw something in you that some of your ex-girlfriends at school didn't see.

Lisa told me you're a school jock that really cries for attention, so you pull pranks throughout the entire school, at home, and throughout the town.

She said you can be the nicest person anyone has ever met. You're very shy to show it, it's basically a balancing scale when it comes to you.

After hearing this from her, I made the decision to start speaking to you. It wasn't going to be easy for me or you, so we took our time. Hearing what you said earlier, I'm very proud of you.

You had the courage to tell the truth. Most kids wouldn't do that, but you're one of the few that did. That moment is where everyone respected you as Bart Simpson and not Bart the class clown.

You poured your heart out into what you said and you're doing it right now. So Bart, my answer is yes. I do forgive you." said Jenny as she smiled at him.

"Lisa is a real life saver for me. She's helped me out with many problems, especially the times where my dad uses me as a pawn in his schemes. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay Lisa for what she's done for me.

Lisa is one of the few people around our town that is helping me to become a better person. She in fact wants to change our town. I'm really glad you're giving me a second chance to be your friend, Jenny." Bart said with a smile.

Bart felt so much better that he finally made peace with his friend. Jenny felt the same way too as she kissed Bart on the cheek. Bart blushed as Jenny rejoined the other kids.

Bart had one more girl to talk too as he turned his attention to Jessica Lovejoy, who was sitting alone. She was alone thinking to herself when Bart showed up and sat down with her.

Jessica didn't look at Bart, since she didn't want to admit to him that she was wrong in their relationship. She still felt Bart turned her into trash and made her feel like an outcast at school.

"Jessica, please look at me. We don't have to argue about anything. It's just the two of us together and no one is paying attention. I wanted to say to you face to face that you're a really strong, yet sweet girl.

Earlier today, you showed everyone that you had the skills to talk and debate. You out debated my sister of all kids and put her, along with her friends in their place. Very few kids have bragging rights to successfully do that.

You became too much for me to handle and the relationship went sour. We can still talk to each other, but it's up to you if you want to talk or not. I'm not going to force you to speak to me, I'm getting too old to fight." said Bart.

Jessica turned to see the spiky haired boy that she went out with a while ago. Jessica could no longer hide it anymore as she threw her arms around Bart and tightly hugged him. Bart was surprised as he held Jessica.

"I'm so sorry Bart. It was my fault everything went bad between us. Ever since that happened, everyone at school avoids me. Boys won't even look at me and I don't even exist to other kids." said a tearful Jessica.

Bart patted Jessica on the back to calm her down. After months of holding it in, Jessica finally admitted she was wrong in her relationship with Bart. She lied to other kids about Bart being horrible with her. Now she admitted the truth to her former boyfriend.

"Jessica it's not the end of the world. You're still a kid, you have plenty of time to make up for all the mistakes you've made. Everything you said today, it's true, especially what you said about Lisa.

If you want me to, I'll even stand by you all the way through tough times. I'll try to convince the other guys to accept you, even though my hands will be full in that situation." said Bart.

Jessica wiped the tears out of her eyes. She smiled and hugged Bart once again. She didn't have the words to explain how that felt to her. Bart stayed with her for the rest of the night.

Even though she didn't admit it, Jessica had finally made peace with Bart and God that night. Eventually the children went to sleep. The next day, they had a mission to accomplish.


	8. More Bob, More Wars

The next day was judgement day for the group. It was ten minutes passed two o'clock in the afternoon, since the group stayed up late last night. After getting themselves cleaned up, they left the house.

They wanted to leave Shelbyville as soon as possible before things started getting deadly for them. They started walking down the hill toward the town. The ground today was dry, so no one was slipping today.

"We're going straight into the belly of the beast. Get ready for the fight of your lives, because this is it folks." said Shan as he pulled out a knife.

Everyone had their weapons ready to be used. This time the group was not going to stand by and let the enemies attack them first, they were going to take the fight to the enemies.

"Bart, before we go into the city, did you by any chance bring your slingshot with you?" asked Keith.

"Yeah, I have it in my back pocket, just in case I lose this knife. Why do you ask?" replied Bart.

Keith handed Bart a handful of darts, which were modified with longer pointed ends. Bart liked the looks of these darts and quickly understood why Keith gave him these.

"Be very careful not to poke yourself with those. The pointed end is laced with scorpion venom, which should be more than enough to stun anyone." Keith said with a grin.

"Thanks, Keith. I'm going to really have some fun with these. Now I hope we do get attacked today." said Bart with a grin.

He placed the darts, facing down in a holster that he attached to his pants. This will allow him to have easy access to the darts. Just as everyone had exited the forest they heard a voice.

"Hello, Bart Simpson. I've finally found you out here with no adults around to stop me from completing my task." said a familiar, yet ominous voice.

Both Bart and Lisa immediately recognized the voice. Bart chuckled after hearing the voice speak and he felt indifferent about this person.

"Hello, Sideshow Bob. The last time I heard from you, we were in court. You were sent to jail for life. So what brings you out here, did you break out once more because of those idiots?" said Bart.

Somehow Bob had discovered the location of the group in Shelbyville and he had his trademark knife with him. He was also wearing his orange prison jumpsuit.

"The town has fallen into utter chaos and I was able to free myself from that ratchet place. It's time for me to seek my vengeance upon you and your sister." threatened Bob.

Bart and Lisa this time were not intimidated by Sideshow Bob. Before Bob had the chance to come within range of the group, everyone immediately pointed their weapons directly at him. This caused Bob to stop where he was as he placed his hands up.

The children were not in the mood to deal with him. Bart fired one of the poisonous darts at Bob, which came very close to hitting him. Bart wasn't trying to hit him, but was warning him to back away.

"It won't be you seeking vengeance against one of us, it'll be us seeking vengeance against you. You're not going to do anything to anyone. We're going to have a little chat with you." said Raven.

Yesterday's secret being exposed has caused everyone to be very antsy. Having Bob trying to stop them from completing the task only agitated them even further.

"If you step any closer to us, the next dart I'll fire will be aiming for you heart. These darts are laced with scorpion venom, so you better stay the hell away from us." said Bart.

Henry put his weapon away and marched towards Bob. He had something to settle with the attempted murder as he cracked his knuckles.

"So you're the peace of trash that's been making Bart and Lisa's life a living hell? Well it's about damn time we met you, because I have something to say about you. It's five knuckle shuffle time!" said Henry.

Sideshow Bob didn't know what to expect from Henry. Damion and Keith joined Henry. Bob has never seen these kids before and thought these were just a typical boys speaking to him.

"So you think you're a badass going around kidnapping and killing kids? Attempting to make a struggling family's life even more difficult? This is where I go off, you spineless piece of trash.

So what are you going to do about it? Are you going to attack us for defending someone you're trying to harm? Are you going to bring your family into your own mess, again?" said Henry as he challenged Bob.

Henry shoved Bob and grabbed the knife right out of Bob's hand. He ripped the blade off the handle, shocking the group in the process. He tossed the blade deep into the woods, where Bob couldn't get access to it.

The blade landed in the side of a tree as Henry held the handle of the knife. Damion stood there with his arms crossed, daring Bob to try and retaliate against the brothers.

Bob was stunned that a child was capable of disarming him with ease. He was even more surprised that this kid wasn't afraid of him, despite the fact he was an attempted murder.

He knew he was in trouble, since all of these kids were armed. He had no weapon and nothing to use against them. Henry was in his face verbally attacking the attempted child killer.

"You didn't like that did you? You didn't like it when I disarmed you without breaking a sweat. Do you find me disrespectful, Mr. Terwilliger? Good, because you deserve that treatment." Henry said as he taunted Bob.

Bob was not going to be disrespected by a child as he responded, without putting his hands down.

"How dare you insult by good name like that you little brat. You don't know who you're dealing with..."

Bob wasn't able to finish his sentence as Keith cut him off from saying anything as he shoved Bob again.

"No, you shut your mouth and listen to me. You're going to listen to what we're going to say, whether you like it or not. When we're talking, you shut the hell up and listen. Don't ever interrupt me again." Henry said firmly.

"You use big words and act like you're above everyone. Let me take you on a little trip into the past, Robert. You don't deserve to be called Sideshow Bob anymore. Robert Terwilliger Jr., none of these guys know.

They know more about Krusty, then they do about you. It must be very embarrassing knowing that barely anyone knows you. They know more about a useless clown then some bitter, wannabe murder. Everyone in Springfield long forgot who the real Robert Terwilliger Jr. was, as if they give a damn.

They would rather cause pandemonium then give a damn about you or your life, but enough about those looney tunes. Let me get to the point. You had the brains to be somebody, but man did you suck at it.

My mom accurately described you to Lance Armstrong. He was a phony, just like your careers as an attorney and entertainer. Just like him, you used something to cover up your failed career as an attorney." said Keith.

"So you decided to frame an entertainer, then tried to kill an innocent ten year old boy to cover your screw ups. Before most of us were born, you moved out to Massachusetts to go to Harvard, so you can become an attorney.

Then for some reason, you decided to go to Yale in Connecticut. When your dream of being an attorney turned into nothing more than failure, you came back to Springfield to become a clown's sidekick. You should've stayed in the northeast with all the empty suits that live there.

The reason you came back to that shell of a town, is because you didn't have what it took to become an attorney. You were boring, you didn't have the guts to handle a man's world. You were too soft and still are.

Showing mercy to the people that never showed mercy to the victims they hurt. You just sucked at everything in that department. We remembered the time you admitted the details of that rigged election for mayor.

Very smart, you were dumb enough to admit that in a public court, you were dumb enough to pop that junk in front of police officers, and you were dumb enough to let an eight year old and a ten year old get to you.

You're by far the biggest klutz I've ever seen. You may have gone to Yale, but that doesn't mean you're bright. Most of the people in Springfield don't even know they're being ripped off by the very people they elected. You're only known as Sideshow Bob, the murder to everyone.

You got that job as a sidekick out of dumb luck, nothing more. Your brother was the opposite of you and that's why he holds a grudge against you. He was something that you wish you were.

He had charisma, he was entertaining, and he was much more funny than you'll ever be. Krusty knew you weren't going to amount to much in life, so he picked you. Plus your clumsiness was well known at that moment.

After all the years of being kicked around by Krusty, you set Krusty up, because of that canon act. That canon act summed up everything about your past career, which was blown away by your lack of having a spine." said Damion.

The group couldn't blame the brothers verbally attacking Bob and it was about time someone did it. Bob couldn't even speak, because the brothers were purposely interrupting him, so as to not hear him talk.

"Amazing, everything they're saying about Bob is filling in some holes about Bob's personal life. I've never seen anyone talk down to an adult like those three are doing." said Bart.

"Your right, this is very rare. They usually has respect for grown ups, but this is one of those moments. They've never done this before as a matter of fact, so this is very serious to them." said Kenny.

"I have to admit, it's kind of strange to see Bob being on the receiving end for once. Usually it's the opposite for us, but I guess this is what many kids call karma." replied Lisa.

Bob didn't like being reminded about his past failures in life. What was even more insulting to him was that Keith was saying this to his face and there was nothing he could do about it.

"I don't even know why we're wasting our time. This thing between you and Bart has nothing to do with Bart himself. It doesn't even have anything to do with Krusty over that stupid ass canon act.

Bart is nothing more than a shield, who you're using to hide your past failures. It's repulsive that you're trying to bring harm to an innocent kid and his younger sister for doing the right thing. No justice is this goddamn world.

Same with Krusty, your jealous of his fame and what's he's accomplished. It still eats away at you to this day. You should be ashamed of yourself, but of course why bother saying that, you don't give a rat's ass.

You don't even deserve to call yourself a person. You're a failure as a person and a failure in life. If anyone in Springfield were to find out about your past career, you would be a laughing stock.

A perfect punishment for you is for everyone around the world to remember your legacy, which is a joke. Your entire life being known as a joke is a fate worse than death itself." said Henry.

Bob had nothing to say, since his pride and dignity had been severely damaged by these boys. The brothers had gotten into his head in a bad way. Bob wasn't able to defend himself from the humiliating verbal assault.

Henry then handed Bob a handgun and backed away from him. The gun was loaded as Bob grabbed it and held it. He realized he had a weapon, but was puzzled as to why he was being given a weapon.

"You think you scare us? You don't scare us. The three of us have died several times in the last eleven years of our lives. So you can take that gun and shoot us if you want too, but we'll tell you right now.

Even if you do, we'll be back and we will return with a vengeance. We've been beat up, stabbed, shot, narrowly blown up, and narrowly run down. We're not afraid of dying, because we always come back stronger." said Damion.

Bob pointed the gun at Henry, who only smiled. He got close to where Bob couldn't miss a shot from him. What Henry was doing was amazing and outright reckless for a kid.

Henry was showing no fear. Bob himself was shocked, but didn't mind as he pointed the gun at the boy. He was ready to shoot and everyone thought the brothers were being reckless.

"Go right ahead, shoot. Pull the trigger you pathetic excuse of a person. You're not the first nor the last son of a bitch to shoot at us. I can't believe I'm about to say this, but we lived in a place that makes Springfield look like paradise.

We survived and kept fighting to not only get better, but to get back at those guys. Believe me, we did get them and it wasn't pretty. So go right ahead and shoot you puss." said Henry.

Bob tried to shoot, but his hand was shaking severely to the point he had trouble holding the gun steady. He kept looking at the boys, who also got within range of him.

"If you're who you really think you are, then you're going to prove it to everyone here. Prove that you are indeed this so called insane killer that everyone in Springfield claims you are.

You want to play with the big boys, huh? Manson, Bundy, Kaczynski, Zodiac, Mary Bell, pull the goddamn trigger already and show them you are. You're nothing but false hype to us." said Damion.

"That handgun is the powerful .45 Winchester Magnum. There is one thing you need to know about the three of us boys. You'll never break our hearts and our spirits, ever. So what are you going to do?" said Keith.

Bob was angry over everything negative they said about him and his past life. He wanted to pull the trigger, but he looked at the brothers. They stood there with no fear in their eyes as they bravely stood up to him.

They stood calm as they waited. No one has ever seen anyone in Springfield do this before. After standing for several more minutes, Bob dropped the gun and fell to his knees in tears.

He couldn't shoot the boys, much to everyone's shock. The brothers could see that Bob couldn't get the job done, once again. They were not angry, but they showed pity towards him, something no one has ever done.

"You couldn't shoot, because deep down you're not a serial killer. No matter how many times Springfield portrays you, you're still not a killer. Plus, you have a wife and a little boy that needs you in their life. You're coming along with us, but don't expect everyone to trust you." said Henry.

"Jesus Christ, they made Bob cry. I've never seen kids do that to a guy before, especially to a guy who's a well known attempted murder." replied Bart.

"Not only that, they made him respect them. Those boys will get in the face of danger, challenge it, and make whoever it is respect them when it's over. That's one of the reasons why I like Henry." said Helen.

Helen spoke with an English accent, which surprised everyone in the group. It was also the first time anyone heard her or her sister speak throughout this journey.

"He's coming with us, cause the last thing we need are liabilities. Seeing as how he's very clumsy, he may end up getting captured by Shelbyville. We can't allow anyone from Springfield to be captured, not an option." said Dora.

The group nodded as the brothers gave them a gesture that it's time to go. They turned their attention back to Bob, who was still on the ground in tears.

"Get up, this is not the time to bow down. We don't bow down to anyone. We stand up to our rivals and fight back against them. If you want redemption, you will fight this battle with us and do the right thing." said Keith.

"Fighting with us will bring you that much closer to everyone back home looking at you differently. Not as Sideshow Bob the killer or the maniac, but Sideshow Bob the hero." said Henry.

Bob looked up at the boys and stood up. He had the gun and gave them a nod. The brothers took off running with their weapons out. The group followed close behind him. The group ran behind some of the buildings and bushes.

As they emerged from hiding, bullets began to fire from all angles. The children armed with guns returned fire on the attackers as a large scale gun battle took place in the middle of downtown Shelbyville.

A number of Shelbyville residents used ladders to get onto the roof tops. The others not armed with a gun saw an opportunity to fight back. Bart and several kids approached these ladders while taking cover.

They pushed over several ladders, causing a number of loud sounds. The sounds of falling ladders distracted the enemies long enough for the armed kids to shoot and kill them. They took out a number of the enemies with this strategy.

There were some unarmed men that were also on the ground. Several kids attacked the men. They punched, kicked, scratched, and even bit the men. Even Shelby, who was originally against the group was attacking his own neighbors.

His friends were doing the same thing as complete chaos erupted. Everyone kept moving forward as more gunfire was discharged at the group. The gunfire came from the ground rather than the roof of many houses in the area.

Bart was firing his slingshot, using the poison tipped darts. A number of the adults were hit by the darts and were on the ground in pain. Bart was using a wall as cover to prevent being shot.

More rapid gunfire was taking place as everyone took cover. Downtown Shelbyville had become something out of a war film. The group fought aggressively against their attackers as they advanced.

Dora and Helen were using bow and arrows to take down the Shelbyville rebels. Each hit they made was very accurate, much to the surprise of the other kids in the group.

No one has ever seen anyone use a bow and arrow as a weapon in this century. It was quite amazing at how accurate the sisters hit their targets. Ivan was very impressed with his older sisters.

A bullet had grazed Keith's arm, but he didn't even flinch from it. This also surprised everyone that Keith didn't even flinch from being grazed by a bullet.

Keith getting grazed by the bullet only made him angry as the group retaliated against the attackers. Keith pulled out a grenade, pulled the pin, and tossed it.

A loud explosion was heard as dust and debris flew in the air. Once the smoke cleared, there was no movement around the area. Everyone quickly moved along.

"Whoa, I didn't think you guys had grenades and explosives. How did you get those?" Bart asked.

"This is America, you can buy anything these days. Those explosives were actually easy to come by thanks to our father. They can clear a house with one blast." said Keith as he looked at the wound on his arm.

"Are you okay? That bullet left a long cut on your arm, maybe we should stop and get that looked at before we continue moving on." Lisa replied as she looked at the wound.

"I've had much worse than this, so this is nothing. As far as I see it, this is just a scratch, but thanks for your concern. It's good that you and the others care about other people's well being." said Keith.

Keith then turned his attention to movement in one of the alleyways. He made a gesture to some of the kids to go and look at the movement with caution.

"Approach those bastards and bring their asses over here. We're going to get information out of them by force." said Henry as he reached for his handgun.

It turns out there was two men that weren't killed by the grenades. They weren't close to the blast and were merely stunned by the explosion. The did get scraped by the debris that went everywhere.

The group brought the men out and forced them to kneel down before them. Henry pointed his handgun at one of the men as he looked at the other man.

The man didn't dare move his hands as he closed his eyes and got ready to meet his fate. The first man wore army uniform and has orange hair with a buzzcut. His friend also wore army uniform and has brown hair in a cowlick.

"First things first, Shelby, do you or your friends know where your father hid the keys for the impound lot?" asked Keith.

Shelby and his friends shook their heads and shrugged as they looked at the two men being held captive.

"Shelby's father never told us the location of where the keys were. He said it was in a safe place, but we don't know where that place is exactly." said the Shelbyville Milhouse.

Keith gave Shelby's friends a nod as he turned his attention to the two men, who were in fear as to what will happen to them. Keith gave Henry the go ahead to intimidate the men.

"Tell us where the impound lot is or your friend's brains will be all over the ground. For each second you don't tell us, I will put a bullet in every part of your limbs, until I blow your head off." said Henry as he cocked the gun.

The man looked at his friend and saw his friend was literally shaking in fear. He could not allow his friend to be killed over this, so he gave into the group's demands. He knew he was going to be in serious trouble for helping the Springfield residents.

"The location of the keys is right across the street from the impound lot. It's on the second floor. The impound lot's owner hid the keys in a drawer, but that's all we were told.

I don't know where in which drawer, but it's in the house somewhere I swear. They didn't tell us anymore than that and would threaten to kill us if we did. Please don't kill him or myself." said the man.

"Shelby, by any chance does your father have insurance on the house? Things could get very messy when we get in there and we can't promise the house won't be torn apart." asked Raven.

"I have no idea guys. My dad was too busy planning this, plus he rarely tells me anything anyway. It never even crossed my mind, since we never thought we would even be in this position." replied Shelby.

"Didn't you move your stuff to a secure location along with the other kids in town, just in case the town gets bombed?" said the Shelbyville Nelson.

Shelby thought about that and remembered that he did store his stuff in a location far away from downtown Shelbyville. He gave his friends a nod.

"That's all we needed to know, since we don't want to fork over too much money into insurance and so forth. Our town will probably be bankrupt at the way things are going. Keith, what are you going to do with them?" replied Olivia.

"Easy, I'm going to ask them something else. I've got one more question for you two gentlemen. What are your names?" Keith said to the man with the orange hair.

"My name is Tyson and my friend there is Arthur. Why do you guys want to know our names?" said Tyson.

"That's all we wanted to know from you two, since we are quite the curious bunch. You two will live to see another day." said Keith as he placed his gun back in his holster.

He and Priscilla quickly grabbed the two men and put them in sleeper holds. They collapsed in seconds, much to the surprise of the group.

"I must say, that was a very bold move by you two there. Why did you decide to spare them anyway, rather than finishing them off?" said Bob.

"I wouldn't care for whatever trash came out of your mouth. However, I did it because I'm not that type of person. I'm not a cold blooded killer looking to end someone's life for pleasure, unless they deserve it.

I'm not going to lower myself to their level. I will only resort to killing to protect my family and my friends here. It's sad what's become of the once great towns of Shelbyville and Springfield.

Their reason for killing us is over something that happened more than two hundred years ago. We have something none of those people will ever have. It's a heart, even if we're shy to show it." said Keith as he secured and tied up the two men with rope.

The entire group nodded. For the first time in a long time, the children were being treated like a person and not something inferior. Priscilla gave Keith a high five as the group got ready to continue their task.

"Damn, the Parkinsons are the bomb. The thing about them is that they understand how we feel about things." said Nelson.

"You can say that again Nelson. I'm still shocked they knew so much about the other people in Springfield. " said Lisa.

"If you guys met them a few years ago, they were very different kids. Ever since then, they've done a complete 360 and are now true leaders. Those kids are what your school needs, not a bunch of false prophets in suits and ties.

People like Skinner, Chalmers, Quimby, or Reverend Lovejoy would never do anything like that. Those are kids who are brave enough to speak out against injustice, will stand up for what is right, and defend the weak against oppression." said Kenny.

"It explains why you guys were being tough on everyone at the school. You guys know we're capable of getting back the statue rather than the grown ups." said Lisa.

"Surprised y'all didn't catch that sooner rather than later. We've been motivating you guys from the start. We know you guys can accomplish anything in your lives if you put the effort into it." replied Shan.

"Well that's motivating enough for us to find that statue and get back home. I can't wait to see the rest of my brothers and sisters again." said a determined Q-Bert.

Everyone agreed with Q-Bert as they made their way through downtown Shelbyville. They didn't know what will happen, but were up for whatever challenge that lie ahead of them.


	9. Somber

It would be another two hours before the group finally reached Shelby's house, which was right across the street from the impound lot. Some had been injured, so they were told not too fight anymore.

"Okay guys, here is the plan. We go in there and get the keys, then we go into the impound lot. We find the statue and get the hell out of here. Pretty much it's a straight forward plan." said Keith.

"What if we get attacked by those Shelbyville guys again? Sooner or later, they're going to send in reinforcements after us." asked Chuck.

Keith replied, "We head back into the woods as quickly as we can. We can take cover in the house for the day and try this plan again the next day. Not every plan goes smoothly the first time.

Hopefully we can leave today, but we can't make any promises that this will go smoothly. We have to move quickly if we want to find those keys. As you guys have seen time is not on our side."

"That doesn't sound like a full proof plan. That last sentence doesn't sound encouraging either." said Sideshow Bob.

"We don't have a lot of options unless you have any bright ideas. It's also hard to say that when you're in enemy territory, trying to get something that they stole." replied Lisa.

The group got close to the door of the house. Keith quickly kicked the door open. No one was inside, so the group didn't have to start going crazy. Everyone checked the entire house to make sure the house was indeed empty.

"They don't have anyone here. This place is off limits to everyone in town, but that's what Shelby's dad told us. They weren't saying a lot about stuff, so we need to get out of here quickly." said the Shelbyville Milhouse.

"Thanks for giving us that update Milhouse. Bart and Lisa, you guys go get the keys and we're out of here. I'll come with you two. Need to make sure no surprises decide to pop out." said Keith.

Bart and Lisa nodded as they started to walk up the stairs with Keith. The trio approached the room that Tyson said the keys were located in. They carefully opened the door, making sure no one was inside.

They quickly began to look for the keys to the impound lot. They were under a lot of pressure, since they didn't have a lot of time before reinforcements arrived. After looking for a few more minutes, Bart found the keys in a drawer.

"Hey guys, I found them right here. Let's get out of here." Bart said as he showed off the keys to Lisa and Keith.

Just as Bart, Keith, and Lisa were about to leave, rapid gunfire tore into the house, causing everyone to duck down. A number of men were using automatic weapons as bullets pierced every inch of the house.

The group was able to escape through a back window, but not before a majority of them were graced by bullets. None of the injuries the group sustained was serious as they continued running.

They also received cuts from the broken glass. Meanwhile, Bart, Keith, and Lisa were trapped. The bullets were hitting every area of the house downstairs. Keith was looking for a way out and saw the window for the room.

"Guys, we're going to have to go out through the window." said Keith as he looked at Bart and Lisa.

"No way man. We're not going to make that jump." Bart said as he refused to jump out of the window.

"Bart, it's either that or we get turned into Swiss cheese by those psychos. The odds are stacking up against us very quickly." Keith said as he punched out the window.

Not even hesitating, he jumped out of the window. Keith landed on his back. The tall grass in the backyard significantly cushioned his fall. Bart and Lisa looked down and could hear footsteps coming up the stairs.

Bart closed his eyes as he jumped out. Keith caught Bart rather than have him land on the grass. Bart thanked Keith and turned his attention to Lisa. He held his hands up.

"Lisa you have to jump, I'll catch you. Hurry up Lisa, they're right behind you!" Bart yelled to his sister.

The men saw Lisa as they raced toward her. Lisa quickly jumped out of the window. Bart caught Lisa and they took off running with Keith. The men began to shoot at the trio. Bart was running, but suddenly dropped to his knees.

Lisa and Keith stopped and saw Bart on his knees. Bart was clutching his stomach as Lisa and Keith ran toward him. They could see blood on Bart's shirt and they knew he was hit.

"Bart I'll carry you, but first let me take care of something. Lisa stay with him and shelter yourselves. I have some fireworks to hand over to these clowns." said Keith.

Keith was wearing a backpack full of something. It was heavy and it made running difficult. Keith then pulled something out and quickly zipped up the bag. The men were still shooting at Bart and Lisa as they hid behind a tree.

Keith was using another tree near the house for cover, but the tree provided very little protection as the bullets ripped through it. Keith was crouching near the base of the tree. With all his might he threw the bag as far as it could go.

The bag went into the second story window. The men saw the bag and one of them opened it up. The man that opened it up was shocked to see many explosives in the bag along with several grenades.

There was a piece of paper that had a message. The message read "Have a nice blast" and before the men could do anything a bright light appeared. Keith was carrying Bart as he and Lisa were running as fast as they could go.

A massive explosion took place as it engulfed the house with the men still inside. Debris rained down across the entire area. The blast was so powerful that windows from nearby houses, vehicles, and other buildings shattered from the sound of the explosion.

The explosion could be heard as far away as Springfield, where car alarms in the town sounded off simultaneously. There was a gust of wind blowing as the trees swayed in the wind.

Car alarms in Springfield went off and everyone's watches stopped dead at five fifteen. Everyone in Springfield could hear the explosion and the car alarms going off.

Everyone rushed out of the building to investigate the sound. The building was also rattled severely by the explosion as were many other structures in the area. It was a shocking sight as a mushroom cloud formed in Shelbyville.

Shelby's house collapsed into a massive heap of burning rumble, which rained debris for miles around the area. As Keith and Lisa were running, they could see Bart was in serious pain as the bullet went through his stomach.

"Hang in there Bart. We're going to stop the bleeding, once we're far away from that mushroom cloud." Lisa said as she looked at her brother.

"Stay with us Bart, we'll be back at the house soon. Breath slowly and keep calm." Keith said as he carried the wounded fourth grader.

The rest of the group had left several minutes earlier when they were shot at. They reached the house and when they turned to look, they saw the mushroom cloud. It was heart breaking for everyone to watch.

They didn't see Bart, Keith, or Lisa behind them as they dropped to the ground. They were taking cover from the debris and some didn't stop running until they arrived at the house.

"Shelby, good thing you moved your stuff out of your house before it blew up. This is pandaemonium." said the Shelbyville Milhouse.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I feel any less comfortable about all of this. Think of the mess we're going to have to clean up when this is over." said Shelby.

It would take Bart, Keith, and Lisa almost an hour and a half before they located the house. By the time the trio reached the house, the sun was already setting, and it was raining once again. Lisa pounded on the door. Bart had lost consciousness, due to blood loss and was in danger of dying.

His skin had also turned pale and Keith had taken off his vest. He used it to wrap Bart's body to keep him warm from the rain. The door opened and there stood Shan, who had bandages on his arms and one on his left cheek.

"Thank God you three are still alive. Almost everyone got hit with bullets when we ran away from the house. It rained debris from that mushroom cloud that formed." Shan said as he quickly let the trio in.

The rest of the group could be seen wearing bandages and had pieces of shirts wrapped around their wounds. They recieved minor injuries from the bullets and shattered glass.

Everyone was very concerned about Bart. Lisa was distraught over what happened earlier. Bart's shirt was stained with his own blood as Keith set him down. It was difficult for everyone to see Bart in this condition.

"He's lost a lot of blood, despite us stopping several times to seal up the wound." Keith said as he looked at his friend.

"We need to take him to a hospital soon before it's too late." said the Springfield Milhouse.

"Sadly Milhouse there is no way we can even do that. Those guys will kill us on sight. That's not even a choice we should even think about. We need to find options to keep him alive." said Henry.

"Then what are we going to do? We just can't let him die out here. He can't die out here, he's still hasn't even lived his life yet." said Lisa who was clearly upset over everything that's happened.

She began to worry as to what will happen with her brother. Soon she began to cry. She didn't want to lose her brother, especially after Bart agreed to turn his life around.

She could not begin to imagine what would happen if Bart didn't survive. Without Bart she would really feel alone, no amount of friends would be able to replace her brother.

Bart was the only other person at home and at school that made Lisa feel like she belonged somewhere. It would be even harder on her to tell her family what happened to Bart.

She knew her family would be absolutely devastated by the loss and would never recover from it. The family would be torn apart by it along with everyone in town. All of these thoughts were racing together in different directions in Lisa's mind.

"If we don't come up with solutions now, he's going to die out here very soon. He's been bleeding out there for a long period of time." said Donny.

Many were upset over what happened and seeing Bart with pale skin wasn't a good sign. The reality of the seriousness began to set in for everyone. Milhouse dropped to his knees in tears.

He couldn't believe that this was happening to him as he looked at the poor condition Bart was in. Seeing that he may never play with his friend became too much for him to handle as he held Bart's hand.

"Sorry Bart, I'm sorry that we never got to hangout until now." Donny said as he buried his jacket into his face and cried.

Jenny hugged Donny as she consoled him, even then she had trouble keeping her own emotions as tears rained down her eyes. Erik held Milhouse to calm him down as tears rolled down his eyes.

He still wondered why he never hung out with Bart after all this time. It affected him the most, since he met Bart a couple of years before he ever met Milhouse or the majority of the kids from Springfield Elementary.

He remembered playing with Bart at preschool and the good times he had with him. The idea he never got to hangout with him, until recently made him even more upset. Jessica held Lisa as she consoled her in this difficult time.

Keith took off his sunglasses and was angry this happened. He was too angry to be sad or to even cry. This was something that shouldn't have happened. He walked near Bart's body and kneeled down next to him as he was joined by Damion and Henry.

Many kids had buried their faces in their hands and began to cry. Seeing the children crying, made Sideshow Bob feel guilty about attempting to kill Bart in the past.

He tried his best not to show sympathy about it, but hearing and seeing the crying children made his attempt futile. It made him feel even worse that he's trying to ignore this situation.

Seeing that if he ever did kill Bart, it would only bring pain and misery to many innocent kids, including Bart's sister. Bob turned and walked away. He felt like a monster for his negative deeds against Bart.

He grabbed a few kids and calmed them down, something he would never think of doing. Dora and Helen joined Keith as they kneeled down next to Bart. Dora and Helen without any warned kissed Bart on the forehead.

"Keith, you and your brothers need to do what has to be done to save him. Him dying out here is not an option." said Helen as she looked at her friend.

Keith gave Helen and Dora a nod as he looked at Damion and Henry. They had to save Bart's life or this mission would be a failure.

"He's not going to die out here everyone. We're not going to let him die and the same goes for everyone here. I want you guys to know we've lost friends before and we swore it would never happen again.

We're not going to let any of you die out here, because of some rivalry that happened over two hundred years ago. Most of those douchebags and silver-spoon fags don't give a damn about you guys and have sold their souls already.

They would eat you alive before they give two shits about you. It's time to prove our loyalty to you guys by doing this. Kenny get the needles, it's time for the blood transfusion to take place." said Keith as he looked at his arm.

The group couldn't begin to imagine how Keith and his siblings felt about losing friends. Keith sat down and waited as Kenny came back with a tubed shaped object that has syringes at either end.

Laura had brought in several jars of liquids. They were needed to make the blood transfusion a success, without causing any possible diseases for Bart or Keith.

Some couldn't believe Keith was going through with this, especially for a kid he barely knew. The group wiped tears from their eyes as they watched the process take place.

"You're going to do a blood transfusion here? I don't think your blood type would match." said Lisa as she wiped away the tears out of her eyes.

"His blood type is double O negative. Me, Henry, and Stevenson have the same blood type. The three of us will do this to save his life. If he needs even more blood, Dora, Helen, and Kenny will be next in line." said Keith.

He then pointed to the exact area on his arm for Kenny to put the needle in as everyone watched. Dora and Helen got themselves ready just in case they needed to take part in the transfusion as well.

"Out of simple curiosity, how does a boy of your age know how to go forward with a blood transfusion? It's almost as if you children came prepared for all of this." asked Bob.

"Long story short Bob, our mom and dad were the best when it came to stuff like this. Our parents are the reason we're still alive and not already dead. They taught us how to live on our own in the middle of nowhere.

They also taught us how to keep fighting, even under severe pain and to never go to sleep no matter what. They told us to keep fighting until you can no longer fight no more. That's what made us legends back in the Bronx." said Raven.

"Their parents, especially their mom are legendary. Their parents are one of the greatest rebels you will ever meet nowadays and their extremely straight forward with what they do in life." said Laura.

Everyone was stunned over what they were being told. Many felt they underestimated the credibility of the Parkinsons, and now they knew this family was the real deal. It was hard for anyone to dismiss these kids as fakers.

"You guys have really good parents. Your parents are legit and not fake like most are in our town. Some of us wished we had parents that put half that much effort into us." said the Cool kid.

"Most of us really wished they put more effort into you. Life would be a whole lot better in our town, but right now this isn't the time for that. We need to save Bart's life and than we can worry about that." said Henry.

"I can't really believe you, Henry, and Stevenson are actually going to do this. Are you guys really sure you want to do this? A blood transfusion sounds like a very serious deal." asked Milhouse.

Keith didn't answer the question verbally, instead he gave Milhouse a nod. He looked at Bart and was determined to help save his life as he pat Bart on the head, stroking his spikes.

"Those of you who don't have a strong stomach or can't handle the sight of seeing blood, don't watch this." Stevenson warned as he also prepared his arm.

He would be the last to do the transfusion. Kenny had extra needles that were ready to swap out the dirty needle, once Keith was done. Kenny inserted the needle into his younger brother's arm.

He did the same with Bart once he found a vein on Bart's arm that was suitable. Blood was transferring from Keith's body into Bart's body. Everyone watched and waited, hoping for the best.

Priscilla held onto her boyfriend's hand as Milhouse, Erik, and a few other kids placed their hands on Keith's shoulder. While the transfusion took place, Kenny began to treat the bullet wounds that Bart recieved.

Laura helped Kenny with this process. They carefully lifted Bart's shirt and everyone could see the bullet wounds that went through his body. It was tough for many to look at those wounds.

"Looks like the bullets went through him and didn't lodge into his body, which is a good thing. None of his vital organs appeared to have been hit. We won't have to do anything drastic with him." Kenny said as he cleaned the wounds with rubbing alcohol.

Both Kenny and Laura flipped Bart onto his stomach, so they could work on the wound on his back. After they finished, they stitched him up. Seeing this was too much for some, like Janey, who fainted along with a few others.

"Everyone, please check to see if they're okay. I guess some couldn't handle it, though I can't blame them. I don't like needles either." said Keith.

Some kids took the time to check on the kids that fainted. Kenny removed the needle from his younger brother's arm and quickly placed a bandage on Keith's arm. Kenny removed the dirty needle and got a new one ready for Henry.

The clean needle was inserted into Henry's arm and more blood began to flow into Bart's body. After Bart had been fully patched up, everyone waited to see what would happen after Bart got the necessary amount of blood he needed into his body.

Many formed small groups as they showed their support for Bart. They also needed to be with each other, so they comforted each other. It was rare, but the children were showing that they cared about each other.

Even the Shelbyville kids were in these small groups. They joined the other kids to show their support. The beef between the children of Shelbyville and Springfield at that point was finally over. It was a small step toward forming diplomacy between the two towns.

"They only told us to beat up, hold hostage, or report anyone from Springfield. They never said anything about killing someone like that. I never knew Bart, but I hope he pulls through." said Shelby who sighed.

"Now you understand that they don't care about diplomacy. They're using what happened over two hundred years ago as an excuse for this madness. They didn't care who got in their way, just as long as they killed someone.

Those guys are no longer people anymore, they're monsters that deserve to be put down. It's sad that we have to go through people like that to do the right thing.

That's the real injustice, where people try killing the ones that are doing the right thing. Ones that want to make a difference in the world, even if they don't see eye to eye." said Raven.

"Keith, we're glad you, Bart, and Lisa survived. Most of us thought you guys didn't survive out there, especially with that massive explosion in downtown Shelbyville." said Raven.

"I was scared over what would happen as was Bart and Lisa. Sucks I haven't seen my mom or dad in two weeks now. I can't wait to see them again." replied Keith.

"It fells like it's been forever since we've seen them. Back in the city, our parents barely made it to our birthdays, but they did it so that we could survive and not end up on the streets.

That's what real parenting is folks and we're forever grateful for them. Our parents barely making it to our birthdays didn't bother us one bit. Matter of fact, it only made us even more grateful that they showed up at all." said Kenny.

The Parkinsons were reminisced over the good times they had with their parents. It helped put a smile back on everyone's face. The stories made everyone feel so much better about everything that's happened.

Lisa was still sitting down on the floor as she watched the blood go into her brother's arm. She was glad to see he was still breathing and that his skin was normal, but she was still worried as to what will happen.

Soon it was Stevenson's turn at the needle. As more blood transferred into Bart's body Lisa struggled to hold back tears. She knew her brother wouldn't want her to cry over him like this. Lisa was then approached by two unlikely girls.

She looked to see Francine and Sara standing there. Lisa didn't know what was going to happen as she remembered the times Francine and Sara bullied her.

Lisa didn't have the motivation to fight back and basically sat there ready to take a beating from the two. However, this time around things were different.

Both girls extended their hand to her in a positive gesture. Lisa was surprised to see the gesture by the two. She grabbed both of their hands as the other kids looked on in shock as they helped her up.

"Thanks you, I really appreciate you guys helping me cope with what happened." Lisa said as she held out her hand.

"No problem Lisa, but don't think that me and Sara are your friends because we're doing this. "said Francine.

"You heard her. We are going to be nice to you for now. Don't worry Lisa, your brother will be okay." said Sara.

"He wouldn't want you to stay miserable over what happened to him earlier. Now get off the floor and come join us." said Francine.

Lisa was a bit nervous, but was glad the two girls were putting their differences aside to help her. The other kids were in disbelief, since Francine and Sara have often bullied Lisa at whatever chance they got.

After a few more minutes of blood being transferred, the syringes were removed from both Bart and Stevenson's arms. They received bandages to cover the area where the needles went in.

"Well guys the good news is that he's okay and is breathing normally. We need to monitor him until he wakes up. He's going to be okay as long as everything went well. The bullets didn't hit anything vital, so he will survive this." said Kenny as he looked at Bart.

The children were happy to hear this as they cheered. Since it was getting darker they decided to eat whatever they had left as dinner. They were stuck for another night in the house as it started to rain in Shelbyville.

After attending to Bart, Kenny turned his attention to his younger brother. After dealing with his wounds, Keith approached his older brother. Without hesitation he hugged his older brother, which surprised Kenny.

"Kenny, I was so afraid I wouldn't see you or the others anymore. I held Bart in my hands as he was bleeding out..." said Keith as he looked at his old brother.

Keith couldn't finish his sentence. Kenny held onto his younger brother as his other siblings came. They along with Priscilla happily embraced Keith, who turned his attention to Henry.

"Good job with the transfusion Henry. Despite us being afraid of needles, me and you did good throughout the entire process." said Keith happily.

Henry high fived his brother. Lisa stepped outside and sat down on the porch of the house as she looked into the sky. The rain was still falling. Lisa was really shaken up by what happened to her brother.

Even though Bart was going to survive, she was visibly traumatized by everything that has happened. The fact she and everyone else almost died today was a lot for Lisa to handle mentally.

Milhouse walked outside and sat with Lisa. He was also traumatized by what happened earlier today. He needed to be with someone that understood him, since he had no one else to speak with.

"Lisa, I don't really have a lot to say. I'm sorry for what happened to Bart. I really wish I was there for you and him. I almost lost my best friend today and I'm still having a hard time coping with it." said Milhouse.

Milhouse wasn't the only one that needed to speak to Lisa, as Donny and Erik sat down with the two. Erik had been mostly quiet up until now, while Donny had been vocal about what happened. Erik didn't hesitate to speak to Lisa and Milhouse.

"I've known Bart, since we met at that preschool a while back. That was almost eight years ago. Time really has flown for the two of us. It still bothers me that I've not hung out with him after all these years.

I didn't even know he went to Springfield Elementary, until me and him almost had that brawl. We live in a small world you two. You never know who you will run into these days. Instead of the brawl, we could of been hanging out.

After we started hanging out again, I've noticed his tone on causing mayhem has slightly softened up. I guess he knows when too much is too much. I still haven't learned, but maybe it's time for me to actually grow up." said Erik.

"Erik, at least you hung out with him. I haven't seen him, since I left that factory. I've been searching for myself, while thinking to myself if I'm really alive and why I'm still alive. My past has been an enigma to me.

I'm looking for who my family was and where they are now. I'm looking for answers, especially answers as to why they left me in an orphanage in this town." replied Donny as he removed the hoodie from his head.

Donny had kept his hoodie covering part of his head throughout the trip. There, the three could see Donny has a very noticeable rattail with a blue hairtie on it.

"I planned on showing Bart this, since the hairtie is colored blue. Just like those Blue Vine licorice sticks he shared with me the day I met him. I noticed Shelbyville was having the exact same problems Springfield had.

I stayed around in Shelbyville to figure something out. Around here, those problems were getting worse. This town is no different then Springfield, to me they're one gang fighting each other." said Donny.

The three understood as they watched the rain. A breeze was blowing as they got wet from the rain going sideways. Lisa looked at Donny, Milhouse, and Erik as she thought about something.

It was rare for her to do this, but she gave the boys hugs. She really hasn't been too nice to Milhouse in the past and hasn't given Donny or Erik any attention either.

"Donny, Milhouse, Erik, it's okay. Don't be sorry for what happened today. You three are like brothers to Bart and myself. Same goes for the other kids that knows him." said Lisa as she smiled at them.

Donny, Milhouse, and Erik held onto Lisa as they looked into the cloudy sky. Keith and Priscilla had walked outside and joined her. Priscilla walked alone for a bit and stopped as she looked into the cloudy sky. She didn't mind being wet by the rain as she looked into the sky.

"Lisa, I'd like to apologize for what happened to your brother today. That wasn't suppose to happen to him and it was very unfortunate that it did. I'm just glad we were able to save his life today." said Keith.

"Keith, it wasn't your fault what happened. It's like you said, what happened today was unavoidable. Thank you for what you did today as you, Henry, and Stevenson saved his life." Lisa said happily as she hugged Keith.

Keith hugged Lisa back. He turned his attention to Donny, Milhouse, and Phil. He and the three boys high fived each other. They were joined by Damion, Dora, Helen, Henry, Gina, Kenny, and Laura as they stood there and watched the rain from the porch.

"Eventually, we will come face to face with our past. We can't keep running away from it, we have to stand up and deal with it. That's what I've learned when I came back to Shelbyville to look for myself." said Donny.

"My mom told me the same thing. No matter how many times she tells me she's done with my dad, eventually they're going to cross paths again. Whenever that happens, I hope to have you guys by my side." said Laura.

"You're mom was really good to us years ago and you can count on us. We will have your back no matter the outcome of that situation." said Damion.

"Hearing that you compete in underground street fights, I got your back as well. Who knows, maybe one of these days we may go face to face." said Gina.

Laura gave Gina a nod as they watched the rain fall. Priscilla began to sing a song. She picked up a wet flower as she sung. Other kids in the house could hear her singing and they came out to see. Many were mesmerized by her singing as it changed everyone's mood.

"Priscilla has sung that song before, when one of us went to the hospital. The song was sung by Diana Ross, it's called "If We Hold on Together", which we first heard from a movie, a few years ago." replied Keith.

After Priscilla finished singing, she walked over to Keith and the two held hands. Keith clapped and was followed by everyone else as that was impressive.

"Priscilla, you knocked it out of the ballpark once again. There is this other song we know of that would set the mood straight for everyone. This song made us feel better about though situations. I know you've heard it, Lisa." said Keith.

Keith used a phone to play the song "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty was being played. Lisa and Milhouse heard the song and smiled. The song was particularly familiar to Lisa. She remembered playing this exact song when she recieved her new saxophone.

"There is another song we use to listen to during tough times. It's a song by Tom Scott, called "Today". First heard this song from a show." said Keith as he played the song.

Just hearing the song made her feel happy. She didn't have her sax with her, since she wanted Maggie to have it in case she didn't return to Springfield. She felt happy for the first time, since Trappuccino was revealed to the entire world.

Soon the rain subsided and the rain clouds disappeared into the horizon. The stars and the moon in the sky were a perfect element, as the song continued to play into the night.


	10. Family Roots

Back in Springfield, everyone was awaiting whatever announcement came. Some had lost hope that their children were still alive in Shelbyville, especially when they heard and saw the massive explosion earlier.

Most of the Springfielders didn't go to work as everything in town grinded to a halt. At town hall, almost everyone was speaking to each other about their kids. Everyone stayed at town hall for three days straight.

The only time anyone left the building was to take a shower or feed their pets. Daniel and Leah were standing outside as they waited for any updates to the situation. A number of people were not present in the building.

Some were taking advantage of the situation as they partied in the streets and bars. The police had not patrolled the streets for two days and criminals were running the town for a brief period.

Daniel and Leah were forced to shoot and kill several criminals last night and earlier in the day. They also wounded a dozen other criminals by beating them using hand to hand combat. Leah was looking at her phone and saw some new text messages by her sons.

The first message sent by Keith said "Mom, all of us were shot with automatic weapons in downtown Shelbyville. Everyone recieved minor injuries from broken class, bullet wounds, and debris from the explosion.

The explosion, I had a backpack full of explosives and lit one of them up. Then I threw it into the second story window of a house and ran like hell. You saw that mushroom cloud, so I don't have to tell you what happened".

The second message from Kenny said "Me and Laura had to treat Bart Simpson for bullet wounds that went through his back and exited out of his stomach. He also lost a lot of blood, since it took an hour for Bart to get back.

He's okay now, but Henry, Keith, and Stevenson had to do a blood transfusion to save him. Bart is resting from his injuries and so far he has not woken up. We're inside a house far away from downtown Shelbyville and deep in the woods".

Daniel and Leah weren't all too surprised just reading these messages. They were expecting what they were informed of to happen from the start. They could only sigh and think about what's going on in Shelbyville.

"Shelbyville just added more enemies to their list. Our kids were shot at today along with their friends. Daniel, who did we raise for the last eleven years? Kenny was easy, but Damion, Henry, Keith, Olivia, Raven, and Rolly, just wow.

For them to even have the guts to go out there, unbelievable. I wonder how they dragged Kenny and Laura out there of all people? I know Kenny didn't like this idea one bit." Leah said to her husband.

"You have to admire their enthusiasm for motivating the children in this town. Who knows, with any luck, those kids may turn out to have different lives compared to their parents, most of whom are lackluster to put it lightly.

I also can't imagine how extreme and traumatizing that attack must of been, especially considering the age of the children being a factor. Anyone seriously injured from the attack?" said Daniel.

"One of Ruth's friends, Marge Simpson. Her son, Bart, lost a lot of blood when he was shot in the back. The bullets exited out of his body, but caused a significant amount of blood loss.

Henry, Keith, and Stevenson had to do a blood transfusion, essentially saving his life from certain death. Looks like what we taught them paid off and saved lives. Glad to see some good is coming out of this." said Leah.

"To think we were skeptical of teaching them that stuff. They saved someone's life and we couldn't be anymore pleased with them. Now, should we tell Marge what happened to her son or should we wait?" replied Daniel.

She gave him a nod. The couple approached Marge, who was sitting down with Maggie. Homer was with the other men in town, who were at Moe's drinking.

"Marge, can we speak to you outside? You may want to hear what we have to say, since it does concern you." said Leah.

Marge agreed to join them outside as she got up from her seat. When she got outside Leah then told her what had happened.

"Marge, our sons have told us that earlier today they were shot at by heavily armed men. All of the children were either hit by bullets or cut up by broken glass. The good news is everyone survived the attack." she said.

Marge became very stressed when she heard this, but was relieved to hear the children were okay. Maggie was also concerned as she was sucking on her pacifier very slowly as she looked at her mother.

"We've got to go in there and save them before it's too late. We can't just sit around doing nothing." Marge said as she felt her whole world was turning upside down.

"Marge there is nothing we can do about it. Those guys in Shelbyville have enough weapons to start world war three around here. Even if the children are able to get away, they'd have to deal with the long ranged missiles.

Also, most of your so called "friends" are extremely fickle, prideful, no morales, lackluster, and are overall lazy. They're so incompetent with simple tasks, most of them wouldn't last ten seconds in Shelbyville. They would become an instant liability for us the minute they walk over the boarder.

Our kids had to talk sense into the other children several times, just to get them to understand that they needed to help out. That alone should tell you something right there." said Daniel.

Marge was disappointed with the obstacles that are in place. Despite that, what Daniel said was true as she remembers the many times the Springfielders have failed at doing something simple. It was another round of Springfield's past coming back to bite it.

"Marge we have something else to tell you. Your son was injured today as the group escaped the shootout at one of the houses. He was shot in the back and the bullet went through his body.

He lost a significant amount of blood to the point where our two sons and one of their friends had to perform a blood transfusion. The transfusion went successful.

Our oldest son, Kenny told us Bart will be fine. He is now sleeping and recovering from his injuries along with the other children." Leah told Marge as she placed her hand on her shoulder.

As much as Marge was very concerned for Bart and Lisa, she calmly gave Daniel and Leah a nod. She knew no matter what she said, there was nothing she could do, but pray for the children's safety.

"Thank you for telling me that. I'm glad my kids are okay along with the others. There is something that is bothering me about all of this. How do you two know me anyway?" said Marge.

"You may know this person as her name rings a bell. Ruth Powers." Leah said as she turned and looked at Ruth, who was sitting down in the building.

"I met her when we were kids in elementary school, which was many years ago back in Chicago. She's gone through a lot, especially with that divorce and her ex stiffing her on child support. Her marriage was a train wreck after she left New York.

We felt bad when she first told us about it and we helped her out. She also knew I was in town for the last few months. There is one more thing you should know about." said Leah as she paused before speaking again.

"You're going to find this hard to believe Marge, so bear with us. After discovering some very interesting things about our family history, we've discovered the Simpson family is part of our family tree, essentially making us cousins."

Marge's eyes widen when she heard the shocking news. It was completely out of thin air and it took a few minutes for it to finally register in her mind. Maggie's mouth hung open in shock as she held her pacifier.

"But... How is that even possible? I've never met you two before or did I?" Marge said in disbelief as she had a lot to think about.

"Two years ago, we found information from the early 1800s about two of our family members. They married someone from the Simpson and Bouvier family.

We also found out that your family are also cousins to the Spuckler family. It turns out over half of the town's population was part of our family tree at one point. Our kids wanted to move to Springfield for that reason.

We turned down the decision to move here many times, because of Springfield's negative reputation, but we changed our minds a few months ago.

They've been asking to move here for the last four years and looks like it was worth it, to a degree. Now we're here face to face for the first time." said Leah as she looked at Marge with a smile.

Marge soon smiled back as she and Leah hugged each other. She remembered to hand Maggie to Daniel before she hugged Leah. After the mini reunion, the four went back inside to get to know each other.

Daniel then recieved another text message. It was from Kenny once again and this time there was a file attached to the message. The message said "Dad, show this video that's attached to this message to everyone in Springfield. It's very important that everyone including you and mom see this".

"Leah, Kenny just sent us a message that we have to show everyone in town. The message has a video attached to it." Daniel said as he looked at the message.

"Is there anything in this dump of a building that we could use to project a video?" asked Leah.

Marge and everyone in the building began to look frantically for the projector, which was buried under the trash. It took a few minutes, but soon it was found.

Daniel connected his phone to the projector and immediately the video started playing. The video showed all of the children who were together. Marge pulled out a cellphone and starting speaking to it as soon as it answered.

"Homie, you better get back to town hall now! I don't care if you're in the middle of driving around town drunk in your underwear or watching The Three Stooges with the rest of the guys.

Get your butt over here and bring the men back. If you don't show up in the next five minutes, don't bother coming back to me at all." said Marge who was being very sincere on that.

Homer was with his friends and the other guys at Moe's Tavern. When he heard what Marge said he screamed in shock at the way his wife was speaking to him. This was no longer something Homer can joke around about.

"Okay Marge I'll be there. I just hope it's all worth going through all this trouble." replied Homer.

Homer turned his attention to the other guys in the bar as he climbed onto the pool table.

"Something is about to happen. We need to get back to town hall, immediately." Homer told everyone.

He jumped off the pool table and started running, only for him to slow down. As he was hyperventilating. Homer eventually got into his car and took off, almost hitting a dog that was walking in the middle of the street.

He was being followed by a line of cars behind him. Some of the men were drunk and narrowly missed hitting buildings and other objects in the way. Back at town hall, the video showed Keith, who started speaking.

"If everyone is watching this video right now, you'll notice we're nowhere in Springfield. We've been gone since Friday night. We're now in Shelbyville and will be engaging with the residents of that town.

We made the decision to go into Shelbyville to return the statue. We knew debating wasn't going to get the statue back. The difficult truth for everyone watching this, there is a very high possibility we may not survive. We won't be the same if we do survive.

This video will be our final testament, our last thoughts. Every kid has something to say to you guys, so please listen to them. This is where you will us get brutally honest with everyone and our thoughts." said Keith.

He stepped aside to let the children say they had to say to their parents and family. Everyone was disturbed when they heard the odds of survival was very low. It was a worst feeling that this video could essentially be the last time they hear their kids.

Homer had just arrived as he walked into town hall and joined Marge, who was holding Maggie. Behind Homer were the men. They stood wherever they could as they watched the video playing.

One by one, the children said what was on their mind at that moment. Each child poured their hearts out into what they had to say to their parents on the video.

It was very emotional for the parents to hear what their kids were saying. The really emotional part of the whole video came in the form of Lisa and surprisingly Bart.

"Mom, dad, and Maggie, I'm sorry that I didn't have the time to tell you I was going through with this. I know it's a difficult choice, but me and the other kids believe this is the right thing to do.

We've seen this before and Keith is right about what he said. Every time a problem occurs within our town, we sit around and talk. That's all we're good for, we rarely get anything done that benefits everyone.

So now we have taken the responsibility of doing what is right. It's our town too and we have a say in the things that go on around here. It's too bad we never did this sooner rather than now.

We've wasted too much time discussing these things. I would also like to thank you mom and dad for raising me. I've grown up to become the person you two always wanted me to be.

I would also like to thank you for making Bart my older brother and Maggie my little sister. I love you..." Lisa said with tears running down her eyes.

Lisa got so emotional that her last words became difficult for her to say. She walked off the video leaving Bart alone to say what he had to say. Marge struggled not to cry as she watched her son standing there.

Homer felt very disappointed that he spent little time with Lisa. He was touched by his daughter's words. Bart was very nervous, but pressed on as he started speaking.

"For years many have called me a lot of things in my life. I'm known as El Barto, the Bartman, the spiky-haired devil, a bad influence, and a menace to society. I've done so many bad things in the past and I can't erase them.

I'd like to say that I'm sorry to everyone I've hurt in the past. What I regret is not having the guts to admit my father is a selfish, lackluster, incompetent man, who pays very little attention to his own children.

That's right Homer, after almost eleven years of this crap, I finally have the guts to admit the truth to the whole world about us. It's over, now the whole world will know about our life.

The many times you've forget your own kid's birthdays no longer bothers me anymore, especially after getting drunk on those days. What bothers me is that you can still call yourself a man." Bart said as he felt relieved.

Everyone in the building gasped and they looked at Homer, who didn't know what to say. Homer was also shocked to hear what his son said about him. He felt insulted by the words Bart was saying, especially now that he was exposing Homer as a terrible father.

Marge knew this was the time for everyone to hear the truth about Bart. Her son was telling the truth to everyone in Springfield without any fear of being strangled or ridiculed.

"Mom, you've always believed in me. You've done your best to raise me, despite Homer giving me horrible advice, doing things I can't describe, and giving up on me earlier in my life.

I don't know if this means much, but all the thank yous in the world will not be enough to show my appreciation for you believing in me. Mrs. McConnell, speaking for all of the kids here, we can't thank you enough for teaching us.

Ever since we lost Mrs. Krabappel, who we miss to this day, most of us lost our faith to go to school. I briefly lost the point to continue pranking anyone, since it didn't feel right anymore. Seymour, you were always trying to encourage me.

Deep down, I have respect for you. Out of all the adults I've met in my life, you two are one of the few adults besides my mom that I respect. I'm probably going to get beat up for saying this, but thank you." Bart said feeling shy.

Audrey and Seymour could see Bart wasn't making this up. He was being serious and the two couldn't help, but smile that they've done their jobs. Marge was proud to hear her son admit he learned something at school.

"Homer, honesty I really don't have anything nice to say about you, cause of everything that's happened. You can call this karma. However, we did have some really nice times together, but even that can't erase the past.

All I can say to you is take care of mom and Maggie, just in case me and Lisa don't survive this. The last thing I want to say is to our next door neighbor, Ned Flanders.

Flanders, during the dome incident, you were and still are the best neighbor anyone could have. You're the reason my family is still alive today and I can't thank you enough. You do go a little overboard with religion at times.

If this is the last time you hear from me, I hope heaven has someone like you around as my neighbor. I'll also say hello to Maude and Edna for you.

I can't change all the bad things I've done, but I can make it right by helping my sister and friends return the statue." said Bart as he walked away with Lisa coming in and comforting him.

Marge had placed Maggie down on one of the chairs. She then quickly grabbed Homer and buried herself into his chest as she cried. She could no longer hold back tears anymore.

Homer comforted her as he had tears rolling down his face too. Ned Flanders was touched by Bart's kind words to him as Keith walked into the video and began to speak.

"Regardless of what happens to us, here is something all of you have to do. If we don't show up by noon on Monday, then we didn't survive. Leave Springfield as soon as possible and don't look back every again.

They have various weapons, which they will use against all of you. Our only request is that you find it in you to forgive these people for what they're going to do to us." said Keith as he walked away from the camera.

A number of the people in the building went outside in tears as they couldn't watch the video any longer. Only a few remained behind to watch the rest, including Daniel and Leah as they watched their daughter, Raven speak.

"Mom and Dad, we love you. You two taught us how to survive in the wilderness. We will do everything in our power to keep all of these kids alive and well. Thank you, cause what you taught us is going to aid us in the task.

Either we get this statue or we will die trying and I'm not trying to make the situation sound grim, but it's going to get very ugly. Whatever happens to us, keep moving forward. We don't want you to worry about us.

Just like you guys taught us not to worry if you two ever passed. I'm concluding this message and wish us luck, cause we're going to need it." Raven said as she gave a thumbs up and walked away from the video.

Daniel and Leah returned the thumbs up. Everyone that remained in the building was silent as thoughts ran in their minds. The video made many regret not being in their children's lives.

"I liked how Keith and Raven took everything we said to them and used it in that video. Paying homage to their parents, something that rarely happens these days." said Leah.

Many felt after seeing the video that the situation had become melancholic. However, some were very confident their children will make it through the obstacles in their way.

"Listen up everyone, this party is over. Get ready to leave the town tomorrow morning. It's time to actually do something instead of sitting around waiting for the end." Leah said as she spoke to the adults present in the building.

"Our children don't want us crying over what they're doing. There is nothing we can do about it except pray and hope. We have to be ready to leave the town, just in case they don't make it back here." added Daniel.

Marge backed away from Homer. She dried her tears and looked at her husband and then Maggie. She knew that Daniel and Leah were right. She picked up Maggie and looked at Homer.

"You heard what our cousins said everyone else. Let's all go home and get ready. I have daughter here I'm going to protect, even if I have to leave the town I've called home for years." Marge said with determination in her voice.

Everyone agreed with the decision to get ready to leave the town. Anyone that stayed in the building left and went back home to get ready for tomorrow.

Some told the others that left earlier what needed to be done. As they were driving away, Homer heard what Marge said about Daniel and Leah being cousins.

"Honey, is it true that those two are related to us? I heard you called them our cousins." said a nervous Homer.

"Yes they are Homie and it's a long story. I'll explain everything once we get back to the house." said Marge.

Homer had noticed his wife's mood has changed and it scared him. Meanwhile back at Shelbyville, the group was relaxing as they spoke to each other, but many were looking at Bart, who was still sleeping.

Lisa was feeling much better after listening to Tom Scott's Today. She was with Allison, Francine, Janey, Priscilla, and Keith to name a few.

"He convinced me to jump out of the window and he caught me. He never had second thoughts. I'm glad he will be alright, but it's still sad how his life has been." Lisa said as she sighed.

"When it came to school, you never knew what Bart would do. I guess that's what kept everyone from losing their minds, while being forced to listen to Skinner on a daily basis." said Lewis.

"Skinner isn't a bad person either, but he's a klutz. I can't speak for you guys on that opinion, then again I've been at this school longer than most of you guys anyway." replied Nelson.

"Y'all have to respect Skinner for serving in the Army. That's something no one will take from him. At the same time, he's being pushed around by a guy in a suit and tie, who isn't even on his level." said Stevenson.

Everyone gave Stevenson a nod and they agreed that Skinner does deserve some respect, even though he's a coward most of the time.

"Lisa, how were you able to handle Bart after all this time? He really isn't that bad of a guy, but he's very wild. You must of had a lot of patience to deal with someone like him." asked Sherri.

"Everyone use to think you lived somewhere else when it came to Bart. Most of us girls would of gone crazy, years ago." said Terri.

Lisa has thought of that idea in the past, especially when Bart has really gotten on her nerves. It made her laugh a little over some of the ideas the others were thinking.

"Bart is an enigma. He's shy when he's nice to me and the other girls. When he's a jerk he can be hard to deal with. I admit, there were times I wished I did live somewhere. I would miss having Bart around if he ever went away.

Bart was that one person that made a difference in your life, even if that person was a negative influence on others. I could never understand why, but I guess it goes back to what you said Lewis." said Lisa.

"Just like Lewis, I've known Bart for a while and after all this time I've realized something. He isn't that bad of a kid, he's actually calm compared to some of us. He's no different than any of us boys here." replied Richard.

"No matter what Bart does at school, even if he does something that physically hurts us or something that makes us mad at him, we still like him. He's the realest friend any of us ever had, which is hard to find these days." said Jaffee.

This helped to confirm a lot of things about Bart. Lisa was beginning to understand the impact Bart had on a lot of kid's lives as other kids continued to speak up about him.

"Bart has something that I wish I had. It's being able to restrain himself. I know something that is clearly obvious. He is going to grow up to be the opposite of what his father has become." Nelson said as he looked at Bart.

"When it came to talking about our problems, personal things, Bart would suggest us coming along on nature hikes. The first time me and the other fifth graders did it, it was badass and we learned a lot about him. We're not that different from him then everyone thinks." said a boy named Josh.

Josh was one of Erik's best friends. He wears a brown collared shirt, light green shorts, white ankle high socks, and brown shoes. He has light brown hair with bangs.

"I remembered this Indian burn before he moved out of the house. It hurt, but he made a heart. He turned something bad into a good thing and I still have it." said Lisa as she showed the heart shaped Indian burn on her arm.

Everyone was impressed by the detail and how intact the Indian burn was, especially considering it's been a while since Bart got emancipated.

"That's a very good Indian burn that your brother gave you. Takes a lot of skill to do create one that's still intact, especially after a long period of time." said Priscilla.

"That heart reminds me of a symbol of God or Jesus that our daddy told us about in our bedtime stories." said Rod.

"I remember something Bart did for me. It was something that really meant a lot to me. Bart recieved five-hundred dollars from a lawsuit, after eating that jagged metal with the cereal he had for breakfast.

I think you guys remembered that time, when he got sick at school. He had to get his appendicitis removed and you guys came to see him. He never said this to you guys, but it meant a lot that you guys came to see him. Now he could of spent that money on anything he wanted.

Instead he bought an album for my late friend and mentor, Bleeding Gums Murphy, who passed away in the same hospital Bart had his surgery at. Bart helped me honor Bleeding Gums' legacy later that night.

Before I met Bleeding Gums, I wasn't a happy little girl. I was depressed and not really happy with my life. There was something missing in my life that I needed to fill that missing void.

Bleeding Gums helped me find it. What Bart did for me that day that is something I'm very grateful for." said Lisa as she reminisced over those moments in her life.

She remembered the night when she first met Bleeding Gums on the bridge. She also remembered the day Bart bought her the album "Sax on the Beach", and the night where she got the radio station to play the album. It brought a tear to her eye as she looked at her brother.

"He gave up five hundred dollars just to buy an album for you? Jeez, that's incredible that there are some males in our town who have a heart. Most of the men in Springfield won't even spend twenty dollars on their wives.

My dad told me about his friends and coworkers, who are drunk deadbeats. Glad to hear something that restores our faith in males. I hope you boys turn out better." said a girl named Amy.

Amy wears a white shirt, an auburn and blue sweater over her shirt zipped up, long blue pants, and brown crocodile sandals. She has long brown hair and a blue hair clip in her hair. Just like Lisa she too is an overachiever.

"Amy, I didn't expect him to do it, it was unexpected. I never even asked him, so it took me by surprise when he did it. He said he did it, because I was the only one that believed him when he wasn't feeling well that day.

I even reminded him that he's not going to see that type of money again for a long time. Before he bought the album he did try his best to cheer me up." said Lisa.

Everyone wasn't surprised to hear about this story, especially something that happened a while ago. It still showed Lisa's brother did care about other's well being.

"As for the other boys here, most of them are really nice. Sometimes they do get immature, but in a good way. It's like they say, boys will be boys. Us girls need to be there for them during the good and bad times." said Lisa.

"Speaking of that, Bart said he wanted to finish where we left off with that brawl, fourth graders versus fifth graders. Don't know if he's still going for it, but we're right behind him if he ever does." said Milhouse.

The fifth graders grinned over the possibility of another brawl against their rivals. The fourth graders knew the fifth graders were ready to brawl again whenever the time was right.

"We know what you fifth graders are thinking and us fourth graders are thinking the same thing. When we get back to school, it you guys against us." replied Milhouse with a grin.

"If you guys are really going to brawl, at least don't hurt each other too badly. It's not like it's a war or anything serious." said Lisa.

"Speaking of that, you guys are not getting the new kids involved with that. That's all on you guys, just to let you know. We don't insert ourselves into rivalries, it's a bad idea." added Keith.

The boys from both the fourth and fifth grade nodded. They couldn't forget they had to get out of Shelbyville before they could revert back to their usual ways again.

"We found out how disrespectful some of the men in Springfield can be. My mom beat some fatass drunk for trying to have his way with her. Threw his ass into a trash can and closed the lid on his head." said Henry.

"That was too funny how she set the record straight. That's how our mom handles her business. As for all the young ladies here, being yourself in a relationship will allow it to prosper." said Rolly.

"I don't mind being around Bart, despite everything he does at school. If he toned down the pranks and bad guy attitude, most of us would go out with him." said Sherri.

"Don't assume we're hitting on your brother or anything, Lisa. This is not really the time for that, but we have to admit, Bart is kind of cute when he's not being a troublemaker." said one Bart's classmates.

"She's right about that. That's the reason why Bart gets the most valentines from girls on Valentines Day, including from me. He, along with a number of boys are rivaled in that department." said the buck-toothed girl.

Lisa couldn't help, but giggle as she heard the girls express how they liked her brother. She knew Bart was in for a rude awakening whenever he wakes up.

"All the love stories aside, it looks like we're one of the few who've heard of Bleeding Gums, Lisa. You and your brother did a very good thing honoring him." said Keith as he gave Lisa a thumbs up.

"Bleeding Gums, another one of my idols. He's one of the reasons why I started playing the saxophone in the first place." said Allison.

"That night was something I was very determined to do. I wished Bart had turned out to be a better person earlier and I never thought opinions about him was better then I thought. It wasn't his fault though."

"Another thing I've noticed is the lack of caring most teachers do at school. Your parents pay their paychecks, yet they barely can do their jobs. Some don't even do their jobs anyway.

Some are very demotivating and others are not charismatic. That's why many don't take anyone, including Seymour seriously at that junk heap of a school." said Keith.

"Every teacher most of us had, since day one barely did their jobs. Me and the other kids like Martin and Database never questioned it. Why go to school when the teachers aren't putting in the effort?

Mrs. McConnell, she's different compared to any teacher most of us had in the past. It's why she's well liked among the fourth graders and even the fifth graders talk about how great she was.

She's one of the very rare bunch that Springfield Elementary is missing. It's too bad any sort of decorum within the school's faculty died years ago." said Wendell.

"Mike, our fifth grade teacher is in the same category. He does a lot for us, even though he is fully aware that he's getting underpaid for doing his job. That's the sad part about Springfield Elementary.

He and a handful of teachers are being underpaid for doing their jobs, while these jackasses in our school get paid for doing a shoddy job, or in most cases not doing their job." said Erik.

"Coincidentally, my mom told me Bart was once very motivated to go to school for the first time, but after his first day he wasn't very motivated. My father didn't make things any better for him." said Lisa.

"That's really sad and it's wrong that we're being used as tools. I played with Bart on the beach after meeting my father for the first time. He was even nice enough to tell me how my father was.

He's a completely different kid compared to what many have described. I assumed many were blowing everything he's done way out of proportion." said Krusty's daughter Sophie.

Some were surprised to hear from Sophie Krustofski at all. Many didn't even realize she was part of the group, but now they knew.

"I know everyone has heard this a million times, but why did this have to happen? I don't want to change the subject or anything, but none of this should of happened. It's scary that we almost died out there today." said Janey.

Just like many other kids, Janey was still in shaken up over the events that took place today. Even though the group was safe, what happened earlier had left a lasting impression on everyone.

"We know how you feel Janey and to be honest, we don't have a real answer for your question. If anyone is to blame for this mess, it's most of the adults from both towns. This rivalry from the last two centuries has gotten us nowhere.

Although, I can't fully blame Shelbyville for them getting retribution over the Johnson family. Even though, they're just as guilty as Springfield is for being a factor in that family's demise.

The grown ups in Springfield are suppose to be handling this situation with dignity and respect. Not us, not seven to twelve year old kids, with two teenagers. We're suppose to do two things, go to school and act like kids.

That's it, we're not soldiers. We shouldn't be doing our town's dirty work for them, because the grown ups are bunch of stuck up assholes. It is what it is though and there is no way we can change that." said Henry.

"That's true, but didn't you guys convince us to come out here in the first place? Even then, we were aware of the risks of sneaking into Shelbyville." said Milhouse.

"Yes we did, but think about this Milhouse and everyone. Everybody on both sides has plausible reasons to kill one another, but should we really let them do it? If we let them do it, then we're just playing the game here.

We would basically do what the adults do, ignoring stuff and throwing caution to the wind. On top of that, if they kill each other, there will be no Springfield anymore. We're too young to run a town and the other kids in Springfield don't even know what's really going on.

Us coming out here with the task of getting the statue back changed the rules of the game. However, changing the rules of any game has unfortunate consequences. " said Keith as he looked at Bart.

No one could argue with that logic as it made sense for everyone to understand. Milhouse had something on his mind as he asked another question to the Parkinsons.

"There is one thing I want to know Keith. Why were you guys so interested in Bart and Lisa from the get-go? It's not like you guys know them or anything." Milhouse asked curiously.

"It's very funny you ask Milhouse and this is where I hope we didn't get to this point, but you're catching on. I'm about to drop a major bombshell for everyone and this will change how you look at each other.

It's a lot more than just knowing them, those two and the Spuckler kids are related to us, they're our cousins." said Keith.

Keith and his siblings felt relieved to reveal that information to everyone. This was a major development for everyone as the entire house went silent over the new information.

Milhouse got a lot more then he wanted from that question as everyone stared in disbelief. Lisa quivered at the realization that she's been hanging out with part of her own family the entire time.

"And they're not the only ones. About half of you guys are also our cousins and ironically, this goes back to when Springfield was first founded, over two hundred years ago." said Kenny.

Some kids who were standing sat down, shocked. Some didn't know how to react, whether to be happy or nervous about learning who was related to who.

"How... how is that possible? My mom and dad has never heard of you guys before. How are you guys related to our entire family? What about everyone else here?" asked a stunned Lisa.

"She's right, how come we never heard of y'all from our parents? My daddy always told us about our family, even when he gets drunk and forgets who he's talking about." replied Mary.

Raven had a list and she placed it in front of everyone to see. Everyone was curious as to what was in the list as they awaited an explanation.

"It's like Kenny said, it goes back to when Springfield was founded. That list shows who was part of our family tree at one time. Many of you were related to each other and very likely didn't even know it, until now.

So much surprises we found out just looking it up. Now that the government is pretty much going to crash no matter what happens, they released a lot of information over the last couple of years.

We found out about this a few years ago, much to our surprise. The records from our family was thought to be lost, until they reappeared four years ago, which is how we learned about all of this." said Damion.

One by one, everyone learned who they were related too as they looked at each other. Everyone was starting to slowly grasp the reality of the situation they were in.

"It was also government nonsense as to why we discovered this four years ago. This was covered up to protect us from anyone that tried to kidnap us, even though we think the government was being paranoid about it.

This is another reason why we came to Springfield and this is the main reason. To meet our relatives in person. It 's nice to finally meet all of you after all this time. All these hassles and we finally found you guys." said Keith.

Keith and his siblings gave everyone thumbs up. Lisa was still in shock over everything, but smiled and was happy to see part of the family.

She hugged Keith, who hugged her back along with the other siblings. The group, who learned who they were related too did the same. Families that were thought to have been long gone had finally reunited on this night.

Seeing families reunite for the first time ever became a surreal moment for everyone in the house. Kenny, Laura, and the rest of the group could only clap as the other half of the group accepted each other as family.


	11. Helen and Dora

After a few more hours passed, Bart's eyes started to open. Bart thought he was still in the woods as he checked his surroundings. The group could see Bart had finally woken up after being out for several hours.

Some thought Bart was in a permanent coma, so they were relieved to see him wake up. Bart quickly sat up as he realized he was not in the woods anymore. He was back in the house with everyone.

Lisa ran up to Bart and hugged him. Other joined in and soon Bart was overwhelmed by the amount of kids hugging him.  
He was happy to see all of them again as he held them.

A number of the girls even kissed him, making Bart blush as his cheeks turned red. Everyone backed away to give Bart room. It was quite an emotional reunion.

"Guys, it's nice to see you again. It took me a while to get back and you won't believe what I was doing. I went to heaven and saw God, once again. He told me what just happened and everything going on in Springfield.

I met Edna up there. Needless to say, I was out of it when I saw her again for the first time in several months. At that moment, I asked more questions than I ever did with anyone." said Bart.

Some were surprised to hear this coming from Bart and they knew he wasn't making this up. He was also not put on drugs either from the operation. Bart's classmates began to reminisce about their deceased teacher, once again.

"She told me to send you guys a couple of messages. She told me to tell you guys not to worry about her. She's in a better place now and she's happy. She's being taken care of by her parents.

She's also hanging out with Maude, Krusty's father, and others who left us too soon. I saw them and let's just say that it was great to see them again.

She doesn't want you guys to be sad anymore, she wants you guys to be happy. She said she misses you guys and Ned too. She won't be far away though, as she will be with us to guide us. Feel the breeze that blows." said Bart.

Bart's classmates thought about it and gave him a nod. It was tough for them, especially for Rod and Todd, but they accepted the decision. Bart and his classmates embraced the brothers.

"Besides everything I said, could I ask why did several girls kiss me? I saw that you girls were flirting with me while I was out cold, although I was called back to see something. Think I could get an explanation for that?" said Bart.

"Well Bart, this is going to be very difficult to explain, but you were just kissed by several of your cousins. Heck, you were even hugged by your own cousins." replied Henry.

Bart was confused and shocked by what he was told. Lisa quickly filled Bart in on what was revealed. He soon understood and happily accepted the fact he's been with his cousins the entire time.

"I guess maybe this thing between our towns has gone on for too long and we should do our best to finally end it. Maybe it is time for us to be able to live together, instead of living in the past." Shelby said to his rival.

"Radical, Shelby. I'm done participating in this war too. I think we should give these guys a chance. They're showing us what sticking together is all about, something our town needs a lesson at." said the Shelbyville's Milhouse.

Shelby and his friends agreed with the decision. For the first time in over two hundred years, Springfield and Shelbyville kids were getting along with each other.

"Looks like we're on the same page with that. Glad to see you guys from Shelbyville are doing what is right. Before we go any further, the girls would like to have a word with you Shelby." said Priscilla

A grin came across Priscilla's face as she whispered to Keith. Keith then whispered to Bart, who whispered to Lisa. Lisa then told the girls what was going to happen.

Shelby had no idea what they were whispering about. The girls soon got up and approached Shelby with grins on their faces, which scared Shelby.

"Shelby, it's time for your make up. Let's see how you'll survive with eyeliner on your face." said Lisa as she grabbed him.

Shelby realized what the girls were going to do to him and he began to back away from the approaching girls.

"You don't have to do this to me. I understand that you guys need more time to accept me." said Shelby.

His words were futile as the girls dragged him upstairs. Everyone could hear Shelby yelling in terror as everyone laughed. They knew the girls were torturing him with makeup and anything they could use.

A few minutes later the girls came downstairs giggling. The rest of the children got their first glimpse at Shelby. He had eyeliner and white makeup on his face. He had hair extensions in his hair.

"Hello clown face, you look like Krusty's son in a purple baseball cap. Are you willing to share your new makeup with the ladies?" said Bart teasingly as he laughed.

Everyone laughed at Bart's remark. Shelby felt humiliated as he frowned, felling silly wearing this makeup. Even his own friends laughing at him. He soon laughed at himself too.

"With that said and done with, Shelby we no longer have to worry about not trusting you. Everyone here feels comfortable around you and your friends." said Henry.

Just as everyone was about to get comfortable, they heard a knock at the door. They immediately got ready to fight again. Everyone got into position as Keith had his hand on his gun.

He opened the door slowly to find a kid standing there. The child wasn't armed. He had a yellow skin complexion. He had long blue pants, a white shirt, and a green sweater with a hoodie. He has a long black hair and is eight years old.

"Hi there, you must be Kenny's younger brother, Keith. I'm Mark Sullivan, I met your brother two days ago and told him where the statue was. Could I come in, since I don't want to be spotted by anyone?" said Mark.

"False alarm guys, it's not anyone we have to worry about for once. It's one of our allies." Keith said as he stepped aside to let Mark into the house.

Everyone soon came out of hiding as Mark walked into the house. Keith tried to close the door, but Dora, Helen, and Ivan approached him. They gave him the sign that they're going outside for a bit.

Damion and Henry also went outside with them. Keith let them go outside as he closed the door. Everyone still had their guard up, since they didn't know anything about this kid.

Mark right away noticed Shelby and his friends were with the group. He didn't seem all too surprised that he was there as he began to speak.

"I assume you guys caught Shelby yesterday I believe? He wasn't at the movie theater yesterday, so I figured he went hunting for anyone that got into Shelbyville. He told everyone on the playground on Friday." said Mark.

"Yeah we caught him yesterday. Well a fight took place, but Bart beat him. After Bart beat him we decided to let him and his friends tag along with us. He got cocky with Bart and the rest is history as they say." said Keith.

"Why does that not surprise me? Shelby brags about being good with girls, yet hasn't had a date in over two years. Plus he and his father are broke most of the time. Most of the girls in Shelbyville can't stand broke kids.

His last date from two years ago was a one night stand. What am I saying, more like a two hour stand, then a one night stand. He took his girlfriend to a raggedy lookin Krusty Burger. Talk about being cheap.

Plus the girl he was dating looked like a cheap harlot with implants. I don't know how the hell this kid gets by with lying through his teeth to everyone he meets." Mark said feeling upset thinking about it.

Some in the group laughed, while others tried not to laugh. Shelby glared at Mark, while his friends were laughing at him once again. It was too much for many as the eight year old's insults to Shelby were priceless.

"Mark, how the hell can you reveal personal stuff about me like that? We've been friends for a long time and you do this to me? That's just betrayal right there" said an angry Shelby.

"Earlier this year you revealed a personal secret of mine at school and embarrassed me. Ever since I've been waiting to get back at you. We're now even, casanova." Mark said with a grin on his face.

Mark took another look at Shelby and was surprised to see what his friend looked like. He didn't recognize him with the white makeup on his face and the interior of the house being poorly lite.

"Speaking of personal things, what the hell is on your face man? Is that eyeliner and makeup on your face? Jesus Christ man, you like Ice Cube with the works decorated on your face, plus some burnt bacon added on.

You know what, whatever clown face, I'm not going to even ask why you have that mess on your face. I didn't see anything." Mark said as he turned his attention back on everyone.

Many laughed even harder than before as Shelby facepalmed himself. As much as it was embarrassing, Shelby knew he was wrong to embarrass his best friend earlier in the year.

"I'm sorry, Mark. I guess I got caught in the moment about revealing that personal information about you." said Shelby.

"I know you didn't mean it, but right now I got something to get off my chest about this false war between both of our towns." said Mark.

"Everyone here is probably wondering why I'm helping you guys. I'm sick of being looked at as an outcast in Springfield. I'm sick of Springfield residents being looked at as enemies of America around here.

I'm also tired of going into Springfield and everyone acting like they feel bad for what happened years ago. They're about as guilty as everyone in this town is for what happened to that family.

What's sad is we're using up millions of dollars fighting one another, when the money could go to better use. We have a subway line that connects both towns, so why are we fighting each other for?

Some of those guys out there are insane and I'm sick of them. Those rebels, who tried to murder you guys earlier, showed no disregard for anyone's safety. They deserved what came to them in the end.

They turned our town into a damn war zone and someone was accidentally shot by these psychos, a few days ago. It shows you that this has gone way out of control.

What's very disgusting is that they're using a dead family's name to justify this violence. A coup d' tat is going to take place in our town. Let's find this truck and get you guys home." said Mark.

Mark's tone from a kind, funny, young boy to a serious kid, caught the group by surprise. Despite being eight years old, he had no problems speaking his mind about the war.

"Most of us still have wounds from what happened earlier. We can't risk seriously injuring ourselves again, so let's slow down, Mark. Let us rest for a bit before we decide to do anything drastic." replied Keith.

Shelby rubbed the makeup off of his face as everyone thought about a new plan. Max looked outside and saw Dora, Helen, and Ivan happily playing with Damion and Henry. Max smiled as he watched the trio playing, as others watched.

"It's the first time in a while I've seen those three happy. It's been a serious turmoil for those three. They were poorly mistreated in the past and now have been given a second chance." said Max.

"Max, I have to ask you, how come Dora and Helen wear half a mask on their faces? What about those strange symbols that I noticed on their arms? What about Ivan, no one bothered to mention him before we left.

As a matter of fact, no one has mentioned much about those three, who have remained an enigma in the group, even before this trip began." Lisa asked curiously.

Max looked into the sky and then at Dora, Helen, and Ivan playing together. He didn't want to discuss this, but everyone was listening to him. He decided it was time to speak about his siblings.

"There is a lot more about those three most of you don't know. I've never revealed this to anyone except our friends, but it's what they are is what we're concerned about.

I'm worried about Springfield and I'm sorry if I didn't say anything about it. This goes far beyond this rivalry between Shelbyville and Springfield. Those three are a last resort." said Max as the tone of his voice changed.

The way Max was speaking made it clear something significant happened within the past. They looked at the two sisters and their little brother. They saw nothing wrong with them, but what really got everyone's attention was the way Max said last resort.

Nothing was strange about them other then the masks they wore. Some thought Max was blowing things out of proportion with his siblings, however other kids in the group believed him.

"He has a point there. Something is different about those three, especially those sisters. I don't know what it is, but when they first came to our class there was this heavy feeling in the class.

I've felt uneasy being in our class and had this urge to run out of the class. As a matter of fact, I ran out of the class the same day we left Springfield. Everyone thought I got sick." said Erik.

"Oh that's why you ran out of the class? I thought you just needed to use the bathroom. When you gotta go, you gotta go as they say." replied Keith.

"Erik, you're also forgetting their first day at school. They answered all the questions our teacher asked and they never looked in their books throughout the entire time.

Mike even started asking them middle and high school level questions. They still got them correct. How do you explain that, it's not like they got bumped up to college or anything." said a fifth grade girl wearing an orange shirt.

Max whispered to Keith, who whispered back to Max. They soon came to an agreement on something as they were about to reveal more about those three.

"Dora, Helen, and Ivan are originally not from America. They're immigrants from Liverpool, England. They came here about two years ago, on a Friday the 13th. They came on their own and weren't sent by anyone.

What they did in Liverpool is why they wear those masks. It's to protect their identity from anyone that knows about the Liverpool incident, which was caused by those three." said Keith.

Some were still watching Damion, Dora, Helen, Henry, and Ivan playing with each other. The brothers were tickling the sisters as Ivan giggled. The sisters still showed no signs of being anything malicious.

"Those three kids you see playing outside are known as Didacts. This is why we've been urging you guys to change like soon or better yet, overnight. Remember when I mentioned nature has a way of perfecting itself?

This doesn't apply to just this rivalry, it applies to what's going on in Springfield. They're around to perfect nature. It's how they do it is why we didn't say much about it and guys, they're the closest thing to God you will ever meet. They are the right fist of God, mother nature is the thumb of God in comparison." said Keith.

Everyone was stunned hearing what was being said. At that moment everyone started to understand why they were here and it was pointing back at Springfield.

"Before we get into what Didacts are, which the name itself is self explanatory, a little background on those three. Dora and Helen's real names are, Maria Thompson and Marcie Flowers.

Ivan's real name is Benny Malley, but no one knows where he's from exactly. Him speaking in various accents doesn't help either and only confuses anyone that hangs out with him.

How he met Maria and Marcie is a mystery we will probably never know. Ivan stated it just happened. The sisters' presence around anyone, even grown ups, makes people nervous around them.

They are also very protective of Benny. One kid lost his father, after he was decapitated in a car accident. Earlier that same day, the father called Benny psychotic after his son was involved in an altercation with him.

Another mysterious death occurred when someone was hit by a car. The lady had her eyes ripped out by a crow before she stumbled into the path of a speeding bus.

The lady hit by the bus, just happen to be aware of the odd behavior with Maria and Marcie. She had no idea Benny was also behind the rash of random accidents happening as well.

Many parents didn't want any of their children to hangout with them, not because they were trouble. They were afraid of them. One day, they were walking towards an abandoned building to play.

They were confronted by ten other kids. These kids were local bullies from a few schools around the area. Now Maria, Marcie, and Benny had no weapons themselves. All ten children were found dead across the area.

Body parts were everywhere and these kids had been turned into bones. Large amounts of blood and tissue splattered on the ground and trees. Maria, Marcie, and Benny had left the area to play near a lake. I'll let Max Larock tell the rest, since this is about his sisters and little brother." said Keith.

There was nothing the group could think of that could explain what was being said. It was completely shocking that something like this could happen.

"This is going to be long, but I'll explain everything I know about them. No one knew what happened to the children until police discovered the scene, two days later. No one knew who did it, which put everyone in town on high alert.

Many thought a murder was out there. Maria, Marcie, and Benny were questioned, but the police didn't have any evidence to prove they were at the scene when it happened, despite the fact they were in the area where the killings took place. The police eventually ruled the crime, unsolvable.

They didn't know why every kid was turned into corpses. Why there was blood and tissue splatter everywhere. At the funeral for the children, the three were observed playing in a graveyard the same day.

They were going to be evaluated by a doctor, but the doctor mysterious died in a freak accident involving an elevator, eight hours before they were going to be evaluated.

There was a lot of negative uproar from this whole thing, but there was nothing anyone could do about it. Some people insisted on getting justice for the ten kids killed, but only ended up in jail or being mysteriously killed.

As for Marcie and Benny, they had a family, but their family never cared for them. Benny met Marcie just two months prior to those mass killings. The same story also took place with Maria. When they met, they became family.

Maria is from Lancashire, England and they went to school in Liverpool for some reason. Those three eventually ranaway from England. They somehow snuck onto a plane to Springfield. I accidentally met these three, while walking alone one night.

They were very tired, but strong. When Maria stated she, Marcie, and Benny had no family, my parents quickly adopted them. Before they were, they briefly stayed at an orphanage after being discovered.

However, let's just say some weird stuff happened that sped up the adoption process to like two days. I personally made a shocking discovery a few days after they came home. I saw those symbols on their bodies.

The words written in some language I have never seen before. They have three 8s that are grouped together in a triangle on their foreheads. You can partially see one of the 8s on their foreheads.

Ivan does not have the three 8s on his forehead. Instead, it's located in two areas, one on his back and the other on his wings. Yes, those three have a pair of small white wings that folds into their backs. They also have retractable fangs, like a vampire, except this is reality not a movie or a scary story.

They've never been sick, even the time I had a cold. I got sick for a week and our parents knew something wasn't right about those three. Their medical records shows they've never been to a clinic or hospital in their entire life.

Not for chicken poxs, colds, flus, all of those diseases we've had before. The hospitals they were thought to have been born at, don't even have records of them being born at all. They had tags attached to their arms, which had their birth place as well as their ages, full names, and so forth.

There was only one thing me and my parents could think of. They were sent to an orphanage after being born. Even the people, who were working at the hospitals around the time have never seen them before.

This entire thing with them has me and my parents asking questions to this day. Like who and what did we adopt? Where were these three born and why did they come to Springfield on their own without anyone noticing?

Learning what Didacts are very recently, I asked myself, did we just seal Springfield's fate by bringing those three into our family? All I can tell everyone here is time will tell as to what will happen." said Max.

Max was releaved to have told everyone what he had to say. It was something he's been dying to say to someone, but never had the chance to say it. The group didn't know what to do or how to respond to this information.

"Jesus Christ, that's just some straight up Omen stuff going on there. I've never heard of kids ever being born without no information on them." said Lewis.

"What's a Didact? How come none of us have ever heard of that name before, other than those stories we've read? Not even Rod and Todd have heard of that before." asked Bart.

"He's right, our daddy never told us what a Didact is. Of course, there is a lot of things he doesn't tell us or try to explain to us. If you guys ask us, he's kind of a nut and too overprotective." said Rod.

"Simple, Christians, Catholics, Jewish, every belief and religion out there are afraid of mentioning Didacts. Many are aware of what they are, but refuse to mention them out of fear of angering them." said Keith.

"I did a report on Didacts many years ago. I found out some serious stuff that I couldn't believe and no surprise, I ended up getting an automatic "A" without even bothering to present it to the class. That alone was very odd itself.

The book itself states that a small group of a hundred or so kids are born as Didacts every one thousand years. There are also a thousand kids born with the trait of the Didacts, but are not full blown Didacts. Kids with the trait will become Didacts, once they get older.

The name Didact itself means to teach. They also help nature perfect itself and this is how they do it. The purpose of the Didacts and the kids with the trait is to exterminate all humans in their town.

Humans disturb the balance of nature each day by destroying forests, polluting the Earth, hunting animals and plants to extinction, and the use of nuclear weapons in wars against other countries." said Raven

The children looked outside at Dora, Helen, and Ivan again. Many shuttered over what they heard about Didacts, especially with the situation they were already in. Things were making sense, especially why those three appeared in Springfield.

"Didacts you say. I've personally heard of them myself, but I never paid much attention to it. I wasn't involved much with any of the crazy prisoners, since they were mental." said Sideshow Bob.

"I thought you would be use to being crazy by now, considering you've been to jail how many times now?" said Bart.

"Bart, don't remind me about my time in jail. Even thinking about it gives me nightmares." replied Sideshow Bob.

"This gets really scary once you get to the second chapter of the book of the Didacts. Speaking of that, I couldn't even find that book in the library or even online. I searched everywhere you can imagine.

I finally bought it from one of the black markets near Jamaica, Queens. That speaks volumes as to how serious this is. No one wants anyone to know about Didacts and what they're capable of." said Raven.

"So basically, they're going to kill everyone in Springfield and Shelbyville over this war the towns have been having?" said a stunned Lisa.

"Not only just this false war, but a combination of things which is threatening the balance of nature. That's what they're purpose is. To undo the damage caused by the past generation.

Now you guys know why we've been encouraging you to improve. You guys can't afford to become mirror versions of your parents. The grown ups in both towns have screwed all of us, so they're fate could be sealed.

If they have to make the human race extinct, every belief and religion will be forgotten about. It's a safety measure to prevent wars. They will then teach whoever is left what they need to do to have the world prosper." said Raven.

"Jesus, who the hell would want to kill people around the world for no reason? That is really messed up and unfair to other people that are trying to make the world a better place." said Nelson.

"Nelson, humans are to blame for causing so much damage to the planet. If this wasn't such a huge issue, Didacts wouldn't need to wipeout large numbers of people.

The Black Plague anyone? That was caused by Didacts too, because of the unsanitary conditions back in those days. This is why we didn't want to tell you guys this in Springfield.

We waited until we were literally in the middle of nowhere to finally tell you guys. We could not risk those people starting to attack or put Max's family in jeopardy over keeping them in town. Remember the Johnson family.

Those three are the kings and queens of a higher plain, which was mentioned in the book. Raven's school project, she had no idea she reintroduced something that was suppose to be buried." replied Keith.

"It's hard to believe kids can be born into this world with a tremendous amount of power, meant to destroy all living things. This is an example of what nature can do when it's in danger." said Nathan.

"You guys haven't heard anything yet. You're just hearing the gist of this. We found out what Didacts were capable of first hand. Me and everyone were skeptical something like Didacts could even exist.

What happened two months ago, changed our perspective. Dora, Helen, and Ivan went through a fluctuation of power. Luckily, they were able to regain control of their powers, but if they didn't, let's just say we never would've met.

They would of self destructed and wiped out a radius of a thousand five hundred miles, killing almost half the country in under a few minutes. The power unleashed would be the equivalent to a thousand nuclear bombs going off, every five seconds, for every two hundred square miles.

Krakatoa's eruption in 1883 would of been the fourth of July fireworks in comparison. None of you would've seen it coming, since we would be vaporized by the power from the explosion.

The explosion would also unleash a series of storms with unimaginable power that would decimate the entire world, causing a global weather event to take place. Oh and a hole in the ozone would form." said Keith.

Hearing that Springfield and almost half of the country was almost destroyed was shocking. Some began to sweat thinking about it and realized they could of died and never known about it.

"Dora, Helen, and Ivan would never harm us, but they're here for a good reason. I really hope everyone comes to understand that, once the great purge begins, once again." said Raven.

Keith looked outside as he watched his brothers play with the three Didacts. Despite everyone hearing what was said about Didacts, Dora, Helen, and Ivan were really cute as they played with Damion and Henry. Dora and Helen hugged Damion and Henry as they looked into the sky and saw the moon.

"Ever since those two met Dora and Helen, they've been so close with each other. It's like peanut butter to bread. It's been going on for over two and a half months and not a single conflict between them." said Max.

"Keith, since you've mentioned that, are both Damion and Henry Didacts too?" asked Lisa.

It was an unexpected question no one expected to hear, but it did add curiosity to many.

"Nope they're not Didacts, however there is one thing we want to show you guys that needs to be seen." said Keith.

Keith's eyes began to turn blue, which stunned everyone. One of the candles in the room was levitating in the air as everyone looked on. It was eerie seeing it float.

"Damion, Henry, and Keith all have the traits of the Didacts. Same goes for the three of us girls, Priscilla, and Kenny too. Our parents are full blown Didacts as well, but were born with the trait.

Government and the UN wants nothing to do with Didacts. They're scared of going face to face with Didacts and are afraid that Didacts will destroy their agendas. That's why they've been keeping things secret." said Raven.

The candle soon levitated over to the other side of the room and was gently set down. Keith's eyes soon returned back to normal as everyone looked at the candle.

"Like my sister said, we have the trait and that's one of the things we can do. Yeah I know it's kind of creepy, but at least you guys know about it. Also we can do tricks with our hair, which is completely radioactive.

Though we have ability to switch the radiation on or off as many times as we please. It's also radiation that doesn't give you cancer, so you really don't have anything to worry about." replied Keith.

Keith's long red hair started to move on it's own. It grabbed the gun out of Keith's holster and Keith grabbed the gun with his hand. Everyone still couldn't believe what they witnessed as things became quiet once more.

"Is there anything else you want to tell us that we don't know? The tricks with the candle and gun was pretty cool by the way." asked Milhouse.

"That's it, unless something else happens that we don't know of. Everything you guys wanted to know is now revealed." answered Rolly.

"Is there proof that they're causing the uneasy feeling or are you guys causing the uneasy feeling?" asked Bart.

"The uneasy feeling is coming from those three and it's very noticeable. When we left Springfield, we have not come in contact with a single animal. Don't know if anyone else has noticed that by now.

Not one, not even a bird or an insect. It's like they knew what was coming before it got there. They know we're talking about this. They're okay with us talking about it, otherwise they would of done something about it." said Keith.

"I don't want anyone here to think of my sisters as monsters. How they set the balance of nature is crazy, but I still love them for who they are. They're no danger to anyone as long as you don't threaten them." said Max as he reassured everyone.

"I want all of you not to reveal this information to anyone in Springfield. Doing so will only put everyone in town in danger. Dora, Helen, and Ivan have the ability to blow up a large amounts of land.

They will do it, especially if they're threatened. A Didact can't be stopped either, you can only weaken one. So you can throw any ideas of trying to kill one out the door." said Raven.

They agreed on the decision to keep this secret quiet, even though it was very significant. Everyone was okay with the decisions and the explanation they got.

"I've heard of that case in England. I can't believe we've been with the same kids the entire time. We won't tell anyone about this, since everyone in Springfield overreacts over these things." said Lisa.

This reassurance made Max and the Parkinsons feel better about the new information. A knock was heard on the door. Max opened the door and saw Damion, Dora, Helen, Henry, and Ivan there.

"Did you three have fun playing with each other? We could see you three having fun out there." said Max.

Max's sisters gave him a nod as they walked inside of the house. Everyone was ready to leave Shelbyville as they gathered their stuff.

"Right now it's time for us to get this truck and get out of this town. We already have the keys, so we can just drive off without questions being asked. Well I won't expect questions to be asked, more like gunfire." said Keith.

"The rebels won't make it easy for us to escape, though. I'm going to help you guys fight back against them, by fighting fire with fire. We'll be out of this town before you guys know it." replied Mark.

Everyone agreed to end this once and for all. Once everyone had exited the house with their belongings, the doors were locked. It was clear they weren't going to return to the house.


	12. The Great Escape

As the group made their way into town, Mark signaled everyone to stop. They gathered around to hear what Mark had to say as some checked to make sure no one was around.

"Guys there is a place we're heading to that will help us out significantly. You guys are going to like what I'm going to say." said Mark.

"I just hope where ever we're going has a bullet proof vest around, so we don't get killed." Bart said as he was worried about his own injuries.

"Coincidentally, we're going to the gun store. Weapons and bullet proof vests are available there. Only a few guards are guarding the store. We can easily take them out with our strength in numbers." replied Mark.

"Does everyone here feel like they want to make a brief pit stop? I think you guys are going to like this brief stop we make, since it's in our advantage." said Keith.

Everyone agreed with the change in plan as they followed Mark to the gun store. They ducked down between some bushes as they saw four armed guards there.

"Let me approach them as a kid who is passed the curfew. When they're distracted, take them down. Get into position and hit them quick, before this turns dangerous." said Keith as he started walking.

Everyone got into position between the buildings that were near the store. Keith confronted the four armed guards. The guards pointed their rifles at him. They saw Keith with a toothpick sticking out of his mouth. They lowered their guns as they could see it was a kid.

"What are you doing around here at this time kid? It's way past your bedtime. No one is allowed to be out here between nine and seven as part of the curfew." said one of the guards.

"I understand that gentlemen. The reason I'm outside at this time, someone just got attacked." said Keith with his hands behind his back.

The guards were confused by what he said. Out of nowhere, several kids tackled the guards to the ground. The guards had no idea what hit them as their mouths were taped closed.

They group dumped the guards in a garbage dumpster. Keith chuckled as he watched the kids dump the guards into the dumpster.

"Damn guys, we thought you folks were amateurs after leaving Springfield. You surprised us, with that attack. You guys are pros as far as we see it." replied Keith.

The group nodded as they walked into the store. There was rows of ammunition as well as rifles and handguns of various types. They also had bullet proof vests, which would be very useful to everyone.

"Well guys, pick what you guys like, but don't screw around with this stuff. The last thing we need is anymore bullshit happening that we don't need." said Kenny.

After stocking up everyone exited the store as they proceeded to the impound lot. Once inside they spotted the truck with the statue on it. The truck is a red semi used to carry oversized loads.

The statue had various straps holding it down against the trailer. Next to it was another truck with a large crane on the back. Everyone was easily able to figure out what was used to take the statue.

"Well boys and girls, we finally found the trucks used to steal the state. The tire tracks match the ones found at town square." said Keith.

Everyone gazed at the statue, which stood tall in front of them. They smiled as they were glad to see it again. It gave the group a sense of pride in their town, even though they didn't have much confidence in their town.

"Before we go, there are four guys that need to be taken out. They'll be coming after us. We have Steven Hernandez, Nigel Haines, Earl Jones, and Vlad Ching who are the biggest threats." said Mark.

"Five knuckle shuffle time! Steven Hernandez is part of this mess too? I've wanted to ice that prick, since the day I heard his damn name. I'm riding shotgun on that guy. His ass is as good as toast guys." said an excited Henry.

"Mr. Haines use to sell pot in school when he was a kid. He is going to get his ass iced like no one has ever been iced before. Steven will join him and we're ready to raise some hell this morning." replied Damion.

Everyone looked at Damion and Henry like they were crazy as both boys quickly got on the truck and were ready to start shooting. Olivia, Priscilla, Raven, and Rolly shook their heads as they didn't say nothing to them.

"Guys, another thing about these twins, they will ice anyone to satisfy their bloodlust. Plus they haven't taken their meds, not that they need them." Kenny said feeling embarrassed.

"Anyway, besides Damion and Henry trying to satisfy their bloodlust. The rest of you guys deal with Earl and Vlad. Be very careful when shooting. We don't want you guys to blow each other away." said Keith.

Everyone agreed to the plan to deal with the four men. Kenny and Laura got into the front seats of the truck. The children tossed their stuff onboard the truck, then climbed aboard the flatbed trailer with the statue in the middle.

Damion and Henry got themselves ready as they were ready to take out Steven and Nigel. The children would now have to defend the statue, the truck, and themselves from anyone that attacked them.

"Hang on tightly boys and girls. This ride is going to get very rough, so stay safe back there and let's roll." said Kenny as he accelerated the truck.

"Close the gate! Don't let any of them escape the lot. We have to keep the statue here, otherwise they will get out. We can't let them get back to Springfield." ordered Shelby's father.

The gate to the impound lot started to close. Several Shelbyville residents started shooting at the truck. Everyone on the truck ducked and returned fire. The truck easily went through gate of the impound lot.

Just as it seemed the group was in the clear, they saw pickup trucks chasing them. Shelby's father was in the last pick up as he followed the convoy of trucks in front of him.

"Damn, these guys are really taking this seriously. This whole thing is going in the same direction as Thelma and Louise." said Priscilla.

"As far as Thelma and Louise goes, I just hope Kenny doesn't drive into a chasm. That's all I'm concerned about, he drives like our dad, wild and skittish." Keith said as he started shooting at the pick ups chasing the group.

"The only thing different about that movie, is that Thelma and Louise weren't being chased or shot at by citizens of a rival town. By the way, where are we going?" said Lisa.

"That's true Lisa. We're heading past Springfield, since those guys will still be after us. Those long ranged missiles are more likely going to be fired at us, so we're going into the Badlands." said Keith.

Lisa understood as the truck was about a mile away from the Shelbyville border. The guards were ready to shoot at the truck as they stood there. There was also several vehicles blocking the road.

"Well here we go again and this is where the blood of my father is running in me. Laura, fasten yourself in partner. I've got the nerve for destruction and I've got the touch." said Kenny.

Kenny turned off the truck's headlights. Laura did exactly what her boyfriend said as the truck neared the roadblock ahead of them. The rest of the group could see the roadblock ahead as they braced themselves.

"Fasten it real tight, Laura. When my dad was my age and did many trips from Chicago to Kansas, he was good at doing this." said Kenny as he put on his sunglasses.

"Which is what?" Laura asked.

"Demolition derby, hang on tight boys and girls. I'm making a criminal out of all of us." said Kenny.

The truck began to accelerate. The guards began to fire at the truck, but it didn't stop the truck, which came charging at them. The guards jumped aside as the truck went through the barricade of cars.

Many vehicles were sent crashing into one another. Some vehicles flipped over, while others caught fire and exploded right there at the border.

"Yee-Haw, that's how my father use to do it back in the days!" exclaimed Kenny as he checked the mirrors on the truck.

Everyone on the trailer cheered as the truck was now in Springfield. The cheering was temporary as everyone saw a line of cars behind them.

A loud explosion was heard as missiles were being fired from Shelbyville. Kenny had to weave the truck from side to side along the road just to dodge the missiles.

"When they said they were packing some serious firepower, they weren't kidding. Damn, how can things get any worse?" said Mark.

"Well they're firing long ranged missiles at us and they don't seem to be slowing down. I don't think it could get any worse then this." said Nelson.

Two figures crawled onto the rear of the trailer. Everyone recognized the two figures as Arthur and Derek. They had been waiting for the children the entire time and somehow got into the truck before them.

"Of course I stand corrected. Now we have these two stooges on the truck to deal with. Time to kick more asses, though I never thought it would be this early in the morning." replied Nelson.

The children were ready to fight Arthur and Derek, but Bart got in front of everyone and shook his head. Keith also stepped in front as he stood side by side with his cousin.

"No guys, we'll handle these two. You guys should focus on defending this truck from those losers shooting at us. Besides, these two are just wimps and they don't look so tough to me." said Bart.

The children were very concerned about Bart, since he just went through a blood transfusion and was still not in the condition to fight. Never the less, they allowed him to fight the two men.

"Don't worry guys, me and Bart will be fine. Just worry about defending this truck from these looney tunes." said Keith.

"If that's what you two want to do, be careful and good luck Bart and Keith." said Lisa as she kissed her brother and cousin.

"Keith, you've been there for me. Even though we're boyfriend and girlfriend, you've treated me like family. Got get them." said Priscilla as she kissed her boyfriend.

"This is our destiny to defend our town. It's your time to finally end this nonsense with those two." said Jenny.

"We'll hold these losers from Shelbyville off while you guys deal with these dorks. Good luck guys." said Nelson.

"Go get them you two. Show them no one messes with the Bartman and the Keithman." said Milhouse.

With the confidence of their friends, Bart and Keith nodded as they faced Arthur and Derek. Arthur and Derek laughed as they couldn't believe two kids volunteered to stop him.

"You two kids are going to make everyone in Shelbyville very happy. We're going to finally do what we failed to do earlier in town. The best part about it is that there is nowhere for you to runaway." said Arthur as he laughed maniacally.

"Are you two going to stand there and waste our time with false promises or are you men going to keep acting like wieners all morning?" said Bart.

Before Arthur or Derek had a chance to answer, Bart and Keith jumped and kicked the men in their faces. Arthur and Derek were stunned by the attack.

"It's time for us to finally end this. You and those bastards almost killed me. You better bring your best cards to the table, because it's now game on." Bart said as he got ready to attack again.

Arthur and Derek weren't going to be intimidated by two kids. Arthur pulled out a small pocket knife, while Derek had machete. Bart and Keith also pulled out their knives too.

"The pleasure will be all ours to finish where we started earlier with you city slickers. Our cards might be more then you two little vermits can handle." Derek said with a Southern accent.

The rivals began to fight to the death. Back in Springfield, the grown ups had packed up and were ready for whatever the outcome is for their children.

They waited at town hall where their cars were parked. Many were still upset and many choose not to talk this morning as everyone sulked. Leah was speaking to Marge and Ruth outside of the building.

"Marge, the plan is for them to bring the statue back here and then we deal with Shelbyville. Of course, they did mention the plan could change without notice." said Leah.

"I just want my children back safe and at home. We should've never had this meeting in the first place. This was the biggest waste of time." exclaimed Marge.

She was clearly stressed out that her kids were in Shelbyville and she had no idea how they were doing. It didn't help that everyone failed to come up with a plan to deal with the Shelbyville issue.

"You're not the only that feels the same way Marge. My daughter is out there with them and I agree about this meeting. It only complicated things further, but this is what happens when men like Quimby are in power." replied Ruth.

"All of you and the others have nothing to worry about. Your kids are safe regardless of what happens today." replied another female voice.

Leah, Marge, and Ruth turned to see another woman approaching them. This was also someone that was new to them. This woman wore a black dress, a green sweater, and brown boots. She has blonde hair in a ponytail and had a chain hanging out of her pocket.

"I'm sorry ma'am, things have been tough for everyone, but could you repeat that again? Did you say that they're safe no matter what happens at this point?" replied Marge.

"Exactly, my daughters and my youngest son won't let anything happen to them. Their brother is also there too, keeping them safe from themselves." replied the woman.

The three women looked at her and questioned her last sentence, which left them stumped. It was almost as if she was trying to tell them something, but couldn't.

"To simplify this, my daughters and my youngest son are something that I can't reveal to you three. They came to our family about a few years ago, after my oldest son, Max ran into them on the streets.

We adopted them, but there wasn't a lot of information about them, other then their names, birthdays, and where they were born. Their names are Dora, Helen, and Ivan. Sorry for my lack of manners, my name is Dina." she said.

Leah, who was not even hesitant, shook Dina's hand. The two women clearly knew each other.

"It's been a while since I've heard from you, Dina. How is the hipster life been?" said Leah.

"It's been alright for us. Marco has been doing okay himself, how about you and Daniel?" replied Dina.

"You know how men are these days. They don't change one bit, even if high school was years ago." answered Leah.

Just as the women were getting comfortable with each other, Moe and a few other guys from the bar came running into the building. They had a very urgent report for everyone.

"We just got word that the kids have been spotted on a large truck carrying what appears to be a statue. We couldn't tell if it was the statue of Jebediah Springfield or that crappy statue of Jimmy Carter." said Moe.

Many gasped over the information. They raced out of the town hall, hoping it was their children that had returned. They walked outside just in time to see what was coming.

The large semi came barreling through the town, passing everyone. The ground rumbled as the truck roared passed everyone, with black diesel smoke pouring out of the twin exhaust pipes.

Behind it was a slew of pickup trucks that were firing guns at the truck's trailer. A missile came flying from Shelbyville and it detonated near some apartments.

Luckily no one had been occupying them. The truck disappeared, leaving everyone stunned at what they just saw. Some went over to the apartments to put out the fire that was spreading.

Leah got a call from her phone. She could see it was from her older son Kenny. She placed her phone on speaker, which allowed everyone around her to hear what was going to be said.

"Mom, as you just saw we passed you guys. Warning everyone ahead of time, do not engage with this. Don't be a damn hero and try to save us, because these guys are literally trying to cap our asses here.

They're firing everything at us, but the kitchen sink. We hope to get far away from Springfield to prevent anymore missiles from being fired at us. This is for real and this hero crap we're doing is ridiculous.

We're heading for the badlands and things can get really perilous there. I'm cutting this message off now, since I can't hold the wheel properly with one hand, while shooting in the other." said Kenny.

The phone hung up, leaving everyone even more concerned for the children then ever. Meanwhile, back on the truck, everyone was still shooting at the Shelbyville residents, who returned fire.

Kenny was resorting to using the truck as a weapon. He swerved the massive rig and slammed into the vehicles, causing them to crash into each other.

"Screw this safety bullcrap. It's time now to do what we said we were going to do. Henry you with me on this suicidal idea, because I'm in the zone bro." Damion said to his twin.

Henry nodded as he and his brother placed their weapons down. The twins jumped onto separate pickup trucks. This reckless move shocked everyone, as Damion and Henry faced the men in both pickups.

The brothers disabled and disarmed the men. They threw them off one by one as the other trucks behind them were still shooting as bodies fell to the pavement. The men falling were scraped, but not seriously injured.

After clearing out everyone, they got face to face with Nigel and Steve. Steve was a man who resembled Ned Flanders, except he didn't have sideburns.

Nigel resembled Martin's father, except he didn't wear glasses like Martin Sr. The twins attacked Nigel and Steve, beating them as they swerved all over the road.

After incapacitating them, they dropped grenades into the driver side of of the trucks. They quickly jumped back aboard the semi. A powerful explosion engulfed the pickups as everyone used the statue as a shield.

"Five knuckle shuffle time! When things get rough, that's how we tear shit up." said Damion as he and Henry watched the wreckage crash into a boulder.

Kenny and Laura both heard the explosion and became concerned over what happened as they looked back.

"Where the hell did that explosion come from? Is everyone alright back there?" said Kenny.

"Don't worry about it bro, it was Damion and Henry being reckless as usual." said Olivia as she laughed.

Kenny shook his head as he kept driving the semi. Laura giggled over Kenny's reaction as she tried to reassure him.

"Kenny I think you need to speak with your brothers about being reckless. They're trying too much to prove something." said Laura.

"No kidding, them dragging the two of us out here is something even I can't believe we agreed to. Whatever, what's done is done as they say." said Kenny.

The fight between Bart and Keith against Arthur and Derek was getting dangerous. The two boys were on the losing end this time. Arthur and Derek had slashed Bart in the chest with his knife.

The knife didn't go deep into his chest, but it did cut Bart's shirt open. Derek had slashed Keith on his arm and some blood was showing. Keith tore off another piece of his shirt and wrapped the wound.

Arthur and Derek began to march towards the two boys, who started to back up. Bart and Keith had nowhere to go as they turned around to see the canyon the truck was passing by.

"Any last words before we throw you two vermits into those cliffs? It'll be a painless death, once you hit the ground." said Derek.

"Yes I do have some last words, but it won't be coming from me. It's coming from you punks." said Bart as he got into position.

Bart jumped on Keith's shoulders, then leaped onto Derek's head. Bart missed getting slashed by Derek's knife by inches as he held onto Derek's head.

"You can't kill me since I'm on your head, you damn psycho" replied Bart as he slapped Derek in the head several times.

Keith stabbed a distracted Arthur in the leg, causing him to fall to the floor of the trailer. Keith then slashed Arthur's face, giving Arthur a scar as blood dripped down his face.

"I can tell you're surprised that a kid like me is able to take on a man like you. This is what you're up against and I'm not backing down." replied Keith.

Keith then kicked Arthur in the ribs, causing Arthur to groan in pain. He proceeded to punch Arthur numerous times in the ribs. The missiles being fired had stopped, since the truck was far away from Shelbyville and Springfield. Shelby had a plan as he got closer to the rear of the truck's trailer.

One of the pickups got close enough for Shelby to point a gun at the tire. Shelby could see it was his father, who was in the truck. He didn't realize his son was there and was shocked to see him helping the Springfield kids.

"Shelby, why the hell are you helping the Springfield kids? Didn't I taught you better than that? You should know they're the enemies that are trying to take over our town." exclaimed Shelby's father.

Shelby shook his head at his father as he aimed for the pickup's front tire and was prepared to fire the gun. Shelby deep down loved his father, but knew listening to him was only going to make things worse.

"Dad, no they're not the enemies. Everyone that is fighting against them are. We need to end this between our towns, because it's getting ridiculous and expensive." replied Shelby.

He then fired the gun, which blew out the front tire and caused the pickup to swerve. Luckily the truck was able to stop before it plunged off the cliff. Shelby's father looked on as he watched the truck disappear, with a few pickups following the semi.

The group still had four more pickups with armed men. Everyone firing back were running out of ammo fast. Some were getting hit by bullets and couldn't shoot anymore.

"Kenny you better think of something soon, we're about to run completely out of ammo. When that happens we're screwed." said Henry as he ducked behind the statue.

Everyone firing at the the remaining trucks suddenly ran out of ammo all at once.

"D'oh!" said the group simultaneously as things were about to get bad for them.

Everyone quickly took cover behind the statue as more bullets were being fired at them.

Damion, Henry, Max, Nathan, Shan, and Stevenson bravely stood in front of their friends. They used their bodies to shield them from the bullets. Sideshow Bob did the same thing as bullet pounded his body.

Bob had a bullet proof vest on, which protected him. Dora and Helen stood up out of nowhere and faced the pickups. Everyone didn't know what the two sisters were going to do and even Max was confused.

"Dora and Helen, what are you two doing? Tell me you two aren't about to do what I think you're going to do?" said Max.

Dora and Helen didn't answer their brother as they stared at the remaining trucks. Things quickly began to change.

"Oh boy, everyone take cover and grab onto something. You guys are going to find out first hand what Didacts are capable of." said Max.

Soon dark blue clouds appeared and began to cover the area. Red colored lightning bolts struck the surrounding area in the badlands. The power from the lightning was so intense, it shook the road. A strong breeze was blowing as acid rain began to fall.

The men in their vehicles felt something around their necks as they mysteriously stopped shooting. They had dropped their weapons and were struggling. It looked as if someone was strangling them as they tried to get whatever it was off of them.

Then the truck's trailer began to swing from side to side, causing everyone to hang onto whatever part of the truck they could grab on. Bart and Keith held on as Arthur and Derek narrowly fell over the truck.

Kenny was struggling to regain control of the truck as the gears had shifted on it's own. The truck was malfunctioning as the swinging trailer struck the pickups.

Everyone watched as the vehicles were sent right into a deep canyon. The men onboard the vehicles screamed as they crashed into the canyon. A massive explosion was heard as it signaled the end of Shelbyville's rebels.

Just as quickly as it came, the acid rain stopped. The blue clouds and the red lightning bolts disappeared, along with the rest of the storm. Things quickly went back to normal as everyone was stunned.

They couldn't believe what they experienced. It took everyone minutes to realize that Dora and Helen had caused that entire storm to happen. Everyone at that moment soon learned to respect the kings of a higher plain.

"Kenny, I have to ask, did you use the truck as a weapon to slam into those cars like that?" asked Damion.

"Negative little bro. I strangely lost control of the truck. It shifted gears on it's own." said Kenny.

Dora and Helen collapsed in front of everyone as they were very tired. Damion and Henry rushed over to check their close friends. Max and Ivan was right behind them. Dora and Helen looked up at the four boys.

"Damion and Henry, we like you two. Ivan and Max, when we wake up, remind us to hug you. We're feeling very sleepy now, so we're going to rest for a bit." replied Helen.

Dora and Helen then kissed the boys as they fell asleep. The boy's cheeks turned red after being kissed. Bart was still on Derek's head, while Keith was having the upperhand with Arthur. Derek was able to get Bart off.

"Play time is now over you little turd. Instead of giving you any last words, I'm just going to kill you. Then I'll use your head as a statue to hang on my wall back in Shelbyville." Derek said aggressively.

"You're still blind to every small thing Derek. Just like how you underestimated Keith and Priscilla earlier. You and Arthur are still clumsy fools." said Bart.

Just as it seemed like Derek was going to finally kill Bart, Bart suddenly pulled out another knife. It was the knife Sideshow Bob had earlier, before he was disarmed by Henry in the woods.

"That's my knife he has there. Where on Earth did he find that thing, not that I wanted to look for it earlier. How did he or anyone put it back together so quickly?" said Bob.

"Some of us went searching for it after we got back, since we didn't trust you after we had our little talk with you." replied Lisa.

Bart stabbed Derek right through the chest, which caused Derek to freeze. The children that were watching turned away as they couldn't look. Derek looked down and saw the knife through his body.

Derek stumbled and fell over the truck. Before falling he grabbed Bart's leg and they both went over the truck. Bart was holding the side of the truck as he and Derek were dangling hundreds of feet above the canyon.

Keith was busy and had enough of Arthur. He used his knife and stabbed Arthur in the chest. He shoved Arthur off the truck. Arthur was able to grab onto part of the trailer. Keith was trying to help his cousin back over the truck.

Bart was losing his grip with Keith and began to realize it was over for him. Derek would finally succeed in taking him down. Even though Derek himself wasn't going to survive the fall, he was willing to take Bart with him.

"Just let go boy... and prepare for a long way down... There is no escape from your fate... as this is the end of your time kid." Derek said as he struggled to speak with the knife in his chest.

Derek didn't care that he was going to die. Bart accepted the fact he had a wonderful life, a great family, and good friends. He was about to release his grip from Keith's hand, when someone's hand grabbed him.

Bart had closed his eyes and opened them quickly. He saw Dora and Helen with Keith. They had awaken and quickly held onto Bart's hand. Despite them and Keith pulling, they couldn't pull Bart up with Derek holding onto Bart's leg.

Donny, Erik, and Milhouse joined in. A number of fifth graders and fourth graders also helped. Even Sideshow Bob was helping to pull Bart back over. Ivan looked directly at Arthur and Derek.

Soon the sky turned blue once again. Something was forming out of thin air. Below in the canyon, everyone could see a massive black vortex spinning, as it sucked in trees, rocks, and anything that wasn't secured to the ground.

Everyone on the trailer had to hold onto something to prevent themselves from being sucked in. Kenny had difficulty keeping the truck straight, due to the powerful suction of the vortex. Ivan's eyes had turned solid red as he was controlling the vortex.

"This is the end for you men. This portal is the gateway to your own hell. You've hurt my friends and you've tried to end our lives. Now you will spend the rest of your lives wondering in eternal darkness. God will not have mercy on your souls for what lies in this barren wasteland of darkness." said Ivan.

Derek was completely stunned that a kid could have the power to do this. Arthur, who was still holding onto the truck's trailer quickly lost his grip and was sucked into the black hole.

Arthur was heard yelling as his body was swallowed up by the black hole. Derek could feel that he was losing his grip on Bart's legs as he looked up. Bart had a grin on his face as he knew it was over for Derek.

"You don't deserve to go to heaven or hell for attempting to kill us. You've caused enough trouble in this life and it's time for you to eat my shorts." said Bart as he looked down on Derek.

Bart delivered several kicks to Derek's head, which caused Derek to lose his grip on Bart's leg. Derek's body was violently pulled into the black vortex.

"Curse you damn Springfielders!" Derek yelled as the black hole swallowed him as his screams ended abruptly.

The black hole and the clouds disappeared as everything went back to normal. The group pulled Bart back onto the trailer. Bart was hyperventilating, but calmed down as he looked at everyone who saved his life.

He was surprised that Sideshow Bob helped save him as everything was finally over. Bart was overwhelmed with emotions as tears rained down on his face.

"Thank you guys for saving my life. There is no way I would of survived without you. I seriously owe you guys a lot for saving me from falling into that canyon." Bart said tearfully.

Everyone greeted Bart and Keith as Lisa hugged her brother. She was happy to see him alive and well. Max and Ivan hugged both Dora and Helen tightly as they kissed their sisters.

Damion, Henry, Olivia, Priscilla, Raven, and Rolly hugged Keith, who was glad to see them okay. The other boys and girls embraced each other, happy that the battle was finally over.

Their enemies had been defeated and they safely made it out of Shelbyville. The Shelbyville kids weren't spared from the treatment as everyone embraced them and Sideshow Bob.

Most of the group had tears coming out of their eyes. Throughout the perilous journey, they thought they wouldn't survive this fight. Everything that's happened over the course of two days became unbelievable for them to fathom.

"Pardon me for ruining the moment, but what exactly happened to those two guys back there? What was that hole they were sucked in too?" asked Martin as the girl he hugged kept her arms around him.

"They're trapped in a world known as Venom. Many things that shouldn't be in this world live in there. Evil and psychotic people's souls are trapped in that world, after they were executed, simply killed, or committed suicide in our world.

It's a barren wasteland of darkness with things too great for me to explain. Arthur and Derek now live there, despite being alive. They will wonder Venom in darkness and it's a fate worse than death itself.

Once someone goes in, they won't come out. Eventually after a certain period of time, they're bodies will disintegrate, since there is nothing edible in that place, not even water. Then their souls will wander in darkness." said Ivan as he looked at he looked back.

Everyone did not want to know what was in that world and decided to put it past them. They group was relaxing on the trailer as it rolled through the badlands.

"Kenny, do you think we can get to the nearest hospital around here? After we get there, notify everyone in Springfield we survived the impossible. Also Kenny and Laura, thank you for sticking with us. I know this was a crazy idea when we first threw it out there." said Keith.

"No problem little bro. We've got another forty more miles to go before we get to the next town, which is North Haverbrook. Or as people call it now, North Trendingbrook. I will notify everyone." said Kenny.

Kenny and Laura were secretly holding each other's hands. Twenty minutes later, they arrived in North Haverbrook and pulled up to the hospital. The children got off and went into the hospital.

The nurses in the hospital saw the children and were shocked to see them in this condition. Many had bullets that went through their bodies. Some had wounds that were reopened during the gun battle.

The children were taken into the emergency rooms to get treated. Even though they had many injuries, they were capable of being released from the hospital the same day. Kenny called his father.

Back in Springfield, many were praying and hoping the group was okay. Daniel heard his phone ring and could see it was from his older son. He put his phone on speaker as his son began to speak.

"Dad, we're in the hospital at North Haverbrook. We recieved even more injuries, but we're going to be okay. Everyone is alright and we're going to be back soon. We also have the statue with us." said Kenny.

The entire town erupted in cheers. The children had survived the perilous journey and the battle against Shelbyville. They had also brought back the statue, which was the icon of Springfield.

"Son, tell the group well done as they did an outstanding job. This is Daniel signing out." said Daniel happily.

"Roger that Mr. Parkinson. Will be looking forward to seeing all of you again." replied Kenny.

After he hung up, he noticed Keith and his brothers and sisters there. They had recieved bandages on their bodies and were awaiting their friends. Kenny knew what they wanted from him, so he grabbed them and hugged them.

The group was also being tested to see if they had any traces of cancer. It was lengthy process, but they didn't mind it taking so long. They weren't in any hurry to get back.


	13. Home

It would take a few more hours before the children left North Haverbrook and headed back to Springfield. The group had more bandages and had casts on their bodies. Dora and Helen didn't have any significant injuries.

They were the only ones. The sisters had some minor cuts, but were otherwise okay for the most part. It was a surreal moment for everyone as they passed by the canyons where the rebels met their end.

Some could still see the smoke from the smoldering vehicles that exploded after landing in the chasms. Bart approached Gina and decided it was time to reveal what he wanted to say to her.

"Gina, I made a promise to make up for not visiting you and it's time for me to tell you what it is. Try not to laugh at what I'm going to say." said Bart.

Gina turned her attention to Bart and listened to what he had to say to her as Lisa joined Bart. She had already figured out what Bart wanted to say to her.

"When we get back to Springfield, you're coming home with us. You deserve to have a family. We don't want you to go on living without one. What do you say?" replied Bart.

It was very significant decision for Gina to make. She didn't know how to respond to the offer. After everything she's gone through in life, being offered to live with a family was a bold decision.

Bart and Lisa knew it would take time for her to get use to living with a family, especially since Gina has never had a family her entire life. Others kids could only wonder what her decision was going to be.

"That's a very big deal to me. I've been use to not having one for so long and now I'm given the option to be in one. You're not planning to ask me on a date are you?" Gina said jokingly to Bart.

Bart shook his head, since that clearly wasn't his intentions. Gina knew what Bart was asking her. It was a decision that she didn't take long to decide on.

"Bart and Lisa, I can't thank you enough for the offer, as I accept. Before I do come home, I need to take care of a few things before I settle in with family life." replied Gina.

Bart and Lisa hugged Gina, who hugged the two back. Bart and Lisa knew it was going to be strange to have an older sister around, but they were going to make every effort to help Gina fit in.

"It'll be cool to have you in the family Gina. You're a really unique person. Can't wait to hangout with you again." said Raven.

Gina gave Raven a nod as they enjoyed the ride back home. Many were wondering what will happen with their town and if things will truly change.

"Do you guys think things will get better in Springfield, now that we have a better understanding of life and what we have to do? I mean we learned a lot in the last few days." said Lisa.

"That's a good question. That question actually has no answer for one good reason. Life throws things at you when you least expect it. You never know what will happen the next day, all we have to do is wait and see." replied Henry.

Henry and Lisa both made good points that everyone considered. No one knew what was going to happen once they get back. Many assumed things would go back to normal, while some felt optimistic that things would be different.

"The eight of us have been living a dream for years. Kenny is lucky as he woke up from that dream ten years ago. We've been living that dream for the last eight years as we fought to survive in a tough environment.

Even though we've been reborn, in our eyes we see both the past and the present. What I'm saying may not make sense to most of you, but life is just so damn interesting that it's worth going through all of this madness.

Our parents once told us, if you ever claim you've seen it all, you're living a dream and not reality. Never believe that you've seen it all, because none of us have." replied Keith as he took off his sunglasses.

He looked into the partly cloudy skies and at everyone else. The group was amazed by what he said, even though some didn't understand it. The stories of the Parkinsons have left a lasting impression on everyone, in a positive way.

After an hour long drive from North Haverbrook, the group finally arrived in Springfield once again. They were finally home, despite being tired, beat up, and wearing bandages and casts.

"We're finally back home in Springfield. I never thought I would ever admit to missing this rachet town." said Sideshow Bob.

Everyone got off the truck and were soon confronted by their parents, who had been waiting for them for so long. It's been a long three days since the parents had seen their children.

None of the group hesitated as they ran and hugged their parents. They were finally back with them. Bart and Lisa reunited with their worried mother, who grabbed both of them and hugged them.

She proceeded to kiss both of them as Homer set Maggie down, who crawled over to her older siblings and hugged them as well. Homer than hugged both his daughter and son as other kids reunited with their parents.

Dina and Marco embraced their four kids, who kissed their parents. The Parkinsons kids had reunited with their parents for the first time in two weeks. Leah lifted up, hugged, and kissed her three younger sons, while Daniel did the same with his daughters and even Priscilla.

"My little boys, we're so glad to see you kids are alright. It's been too long since I've held you three around my arms." said Leah as she kissed her sons once more.

She set the boys down and turned her attention to Kenny. She approached her older son and hugged him. Daniel patted his older son on the head as he hugged him. Leah kissed Kenny on the cheek.

"Kenny, you did a wonderful job keeping your little brothers and sisters safe. You also did a good job with saving the children from serious injuries and infections. You should be very proud of yourself." said Daniel.

"Thanks mom and dad. Even though we had some rough moments back there, me and Laura, and all of these kids managed to deal with everything that happened." replied Kenny.

Laura had also reunited with her mother as they hugged. After the reunion, everyone looked at the statue. It gave everyone a sense of pride that it was back. Everyone noticed a few kids that didn't have parents.

"These kids with us are the Shelbyville kids. They helped us throughout everything that happened in Shelbyville." said Lisa.

Some of the grown ups became defensive when they heard these kids were from Shelbyville. However the Springfield kids calmed everyone down.

"Yep, they're Shelbyville kids, but had it not been for them, we would not be here. They're one of the reasons why we made it out of the town alive. Mark, your suggestion to go to the gun store saved our lives.

Shelby, you and your friends fought side by side with us, knowing very well you guys will be severely punished for helping us. Thank you for sticking with us throughout this entire thing." said Bart.

The grown ups looked at the Shelbyville kids, who approached them. Everyone began to happily praise the Shelbyville kids for helping the Springfield kids.

The Springfield kids crowded around Mark as they thanked him for everything. Some kissed or hugged him as they were happy for the boy. Shelby and his friends received the same treatment from the Springfield kids.

"Your welcome guys, it was nothing. I was motivated to help end all of this conflict once and for all. All of us did it as far as we see it. It wasn't just one person that helped." said Mark.

The reunion was cut short by Shelby's father, who arrived. He had a baseball bat and was ready to take on the entire town if he needed to. It was completely strange to see him in sad shape.

His clothes were partially torn by his long walk from the Badlands. Some thought he was crazy. Shelby shook his head in disappointment as he approached his father.

"Dad, what the hell are you doing? Are you crazy enough to think you're going to beat everyone up with a baseball bat? This is so embarrassing, you, we shouldn't even be here for crying out loud." replied Shelby.

Shelby's father didn't understand why his son was on Springfield's side as he lowered the bat. He didn't quite understand that his son, along with the other kids from Shelbyville had made amends with the Springfield kids.

"Son, there is one thing I have to ask you. Why did you help the Springfield kids? This is not going to sit well for everyone back home and we're looking at a lot of damage to clean up too." said Shelby's father.

"Dad, who cares about what everyone back home will say? Those guys tried to kill me and my friends yesterday. They didn't even care who got in their way as they tore the entire house up with bullets." replied Shelby.

Shelby's father was shocked and had no knowledge of this ever happening to his son or his friends. Everyone from Springfield were also shocked by the details of how bad things got in Shelbyville.

Shelby was upset over everything that happened in his town. It was the first time Shelby has ever spoken to his father like this. His friends were surprised to see this side of Shelby as he continued speaking to his father.

"So it's come down to this dad. Do you even care about what happened to me or is your obsession with beating Springfield making you blind to see the truth?

The truth that this war between our towns has caused all of us to hate each other and put us through centuries of misery?" asked Shelby as he lowered his head.

Shelby waited for his father to answer. A few drops of tears fell from his eyes as his father dropped the bat. He grabbed his son and hugged him in front of everyone in Springfield.

"Son, you're more important to me than this fight will ever be. I'm not a careless monster like some of the people I worked with. Let's go home son and rest." replied Shelby's father.

Shelby looked at his father and smiled. It was very heartwarming as he hugged his father as everyone was happy for the two. Before the Shelbyville kids began to leave, some of the Springfield children stopped them.

"Shelby, we will negotiate with your town soon, if it ever cools down. After we're done with that, maybe we can hang out with you guys some day." said Bart.

Shelby and his friends looked at the children of Springfield. They held out their hands and shook hands with the children.

"Will be looking forward to hanging out with you guys again. Everything we went through, we have to admit was fun, probably the best fun any of us ever had in a while." said Shelby.

"Hey Milhouse, when we do hang out again, do you want another rematch at chess?" said the Shelbyville Milhouse.

The Springfield Milhouse gave him a nod. Some wanted to laugh, but they decided not to open their mouth about it. As the Shelbyville kids left, it signaled an end to the war between the two towns.

It was very surreal to the group. They ended a rivalry that dates back to over two centuries. Everyone noticed Sideshow Bob was there and some questioned why he was with the group.

"He also helped us too and is the reason why Bart and everyone here is still alive. Acting on a tip, he broke out of prison and went to Shelbyville, knowing well that he may not return to Springfield alive. He eventually found us.

After a series of gun battles and that explosion, he was there for us. He even shielded several of us from getting shot in the Badlands. If there is a bigger hero in this long story, Sideshow Bob is the one everyone should also talk to. " said Keith as he clearly lied.

Many were surprised to hear that information. Soon the media began to interview Sideshow Bob as they asked him many questions. Bob was a bit overwhelmed, but began to explain how he helped Bart and the rest of the group. Everyone in the group began to snicker.

"Keith, you had to lie your ass off didn't you? However, with friends like you, Springfield could actually be different for once and school could be enjoyable." said Erik as he crossed his arms.

"Had to tell that lie for a good reason Erik. For one, so that Sideshow Bob wouldn't go to jail for no reason. Two, so that he could finally get what he deserved after being treated like as stepchild by Krusty." said Keith.

Sideshow Bob was in the process of answering questions and paused for a moment. He saw two familiar faces in the crowd, which he recognized right away as his wife and son.

Bob quickly stepped away from the media as he hugged his wife and son. It was another round of touching reunions in Springfield as some began to clap. For once, Springfield had a reason to be happy.

The group separated as they immediately went home to rest, but promised to be back out later on. At the Simpsons' house, Bart and Lisa were glad to be home again. Snowball II and Santa's Little Helper dashed out of the living room and confronted their owners.

The pets began to lick their owners happily. Bart and Lisa were happy to see them as well. Lisa went into her room. She set her backpack down on the floor as she lied down on her bed.

Bart walked into Lisa's room and lied down next to her. Usually, Bart would never go in Lisa's room, but this time it was an exception. The siblings had gone through a lot together, including revealing personal things about one another.

"We're home sis. We're finally home after everything we've been through. I never thought I would admit to missing this house. There was several times where I thought I wasn't going to make it back there." said Bart.

"Me too, despite everything happening in just a few days, it felt like we were out there for several months. There is a bright side to our perilous journey into Shelbyville and I think we all can agree about this.

We got to really know everyone at school and they also got to know us. We no longer have any secrets to keep from them, as they practically know everything about us. We should also be happy about that." said Lisa.

Lisa had reminded herself about something. She needed to show Bart something that was very important. It was something she never got to show him in the past, but it was the time to reveal it.

"Bart, there is something I want to show you. It's very important that I show you this, since I know it's going to change your perspective on everything." said Lisa as she got off her bed.

She crouched down underneath her bed and grabbed a small pink box with white flowers. Bart sat up as he looked at what her sister removed from the box. It was a piece of paper that was folded up.

"Bart I want you to look at this and tell me what you see." said Lisa as she handed Bart the piece of paper.

Bart unfolded the piece of paper and looked at it. He was surprised to see what Lisa had been hiding from him.

"This is my IQ score from that test. I thought I threw in the trash already, but why did you save it?" replied Bart.

"You did, but I saved it. What was talked about in Shelbyville is true. Your IQ score is not 59 as it states." said Lisa.

Lisa grabbed part of the paper and pulled off a small piece of white tape. Bart saw that his real IQ score is 159, the same number Lisa got on her test. At that moment, he realized the Parkinsons were right about everything.

Bart trembled as he held the piece of paper. Lisa could see her brother was beginning to realize what he had seen. She was relieved to tell this secret, which she's kept for a while.

"I was told not to ever reveal this to you by the faculty. It was wrong for me to keep this a secret from you, mom, dad, Maggie, and everyone else. Bart, this proves you're not dumb, you're a boy who has intelligence.

If you still don't believe this is real, think about all the pranks you've done. Think about the many times you've outsmarted Sideshow Bob. You used your thinking skills to plan those pranks out and you executed them with great precision.

You were a genius when you ratted out Sideshow Bob as the person who framed Krusty. I don't think it ever dawned on you that you were a genius. I wish I had the courage to show you this sooner, rather than now." said Lisa.

Bart, who had remained silent accepted the fact he and his sister were equal. It was a lot for him to accept as he turned his attention to his sister.

"Lisa, I don't know what to say. Thank you for showing me the truth about this. Even though a test doesn't really prove how smart a person is, it's how they perform in school that really matters at the end of the day." said Bart.

Lisa agreed with her brother as the siblings hugged each other. Lisa had no idea if this would encourage Bart to be a better student at school, but whatever happened she would accept the outcome.

"Do you want to come with me? I'm going to speak with Milhouse about something important." said Bart.

"I would, but I'm very tired now. I'm going to have a nap now Bart. You go on without me." said Lisa.

Lisa took off her boots and laid down on her bed. Bart kissed Lisa on the forehead and left his younger sister to sleep. Bart walked next door, where Milhouse was on his front lawn.

"Hey, what's up Bart? You told me to meet you, although I was a bit late after my mom and dad kept kissing me on the forehead and face." said Milhouse as he blushed.

"Milhouse, you've been my best friend for a long time. Through good times and bad times, even times you've been angry at me for something I did. It's time I start treating you like my friend." said Bart.

Bart then handed Milhouse a blue slingshot, much to his surprise. Milhouse was touched by the gesture from his best friend, who had given him a slingshot.

"Milhouse, that slingshot represents several things. It represents the times you stood up for me, the times you've stood by me, and our friendship as a whole. That's the most important thing ever.

Whenever you look at that slingshot or even use it, I want you to think about us together. Thank you for being there for me as I really appreciate it." replied Bart.

"Bart, it's been an honor standing by your side. It will be an honor doing it for more years to come." said Milhouse.

He and Milhouse hugged each other without hesitation. Soon several boys and a few girls showed up on skateboards. It was Damion, Donny, Dora, Erik, Helen, Henry, Keith, Nathan, and Priscilla.

Damion, Henry, and Keith were wearing Hawaiian shirts, which were red and had white flowers that decorated their shirts. Donny, Erik, and Nathan were sporting blue jerseys. Dora, Helen, and Priscilla wore blue sweaters over their dresses.

"What's up, Bart and Milhouse. Want to hangout with us? They're throwing a party at town square tonight. We're going to cause some trouble as they're setting up the party." said Erik.

Bart and Milhouse nodded as they went into their houses and got their skateboards. They also brought some rocks with them to cause mayhem in town.

"Alrighty folks, let's get this party started now and raise some hell in the Springfield today. Let's bounce." said Henry.

They got on their skateboards and rode down the sidewalk. They didn't go too fast for now as they were speaking to each other.

"Donny, as for the whereabouts of your family, we will see what we can find. You have to consider, families change their identities after abandoning their kids. It's a very common practice, so be prepared for that." said Keith.

"Thanks, I owe you guys a lot. The same goes for everyone, who's been helping me around Springfield. Even if I don't find them, I'll still be okay with the friends that I have in my life." said Donny.

Everyone gave Donny a nod. The group made their way through town square, where they proceeded to roll by people at very high speeds. Bart and Milhouse fired rocks at people with their slingshots.

The other kids pointed and laughed at the grown ups as they rolled by. The people were upset, but decided to let it slide, since they were having fun today. A few hours later at night, the town was having the party.

It was a great night in Springfield as everyone was feeling good about the outcome of today's events. The statue had been lowered back to where it originally was as the town celebrated the return of the statue.

The celebration was also to commemorate Springfield's history as well as the heroes. Bart and Lisa was sitting with their cousins and friends. The group was back together again as they watched the fireworks blast into the night.


	14. Epilogue

A week after the group returned the statue, the town of Shelbyville and Springfield met together for the first time. The area where they met was in the same location where the lemon tree was located.

After a five and a half hour negotiation between the two towns, they agreed to end all rivalries with one another. After the negotiations had been completed, both towns assisted each other in repairing the damages.

The damage done in Shelbyville was estimated to be over a billion dollars. Springfield at best only had a million dollars in damages from the missile strikes. Channel 6 news, along with other news station in Shelbyville

Together, both documented the rebuilding effort. They also documented where the children took shelter, ate, and fought against the rebels. Many of the surviving Shelbyville rebels, who participated in the war were taken to trial.

They were charged with several war crimes against Springfield and their own town. They were also charged with putting countless lives in danger within their town.

Shelby's father was spared a lengthy prison term as he recieved three hundred hours of community service and was on probation for a full year, once he completed his community service.

He also would lose his gun ownership privileges for five years and was forced to help in the cleanup effort. As a matter of fact, many of the surviving rebels were spared lengthy prison sentences, since they had children to take care of.

Instead, they were forced to help with the cleanup and rebuilding efforts in both towns. Once they finished rebuilding the areas damaged in Springfield, they would be banned from entering the town for three years.

It was a punishment everyone felt was needed. The children of Springfield had all illegal trespassing charges on them dropped, due to the obvious fact that they were trying to retrieve something that was stolen from their town.

Everything documented by the media was eventually released into a sixteen hour special called "Shelbyville and Springfield: Tale of a Perilous Journey". The group themselves had gone through several changes.

Most of the changes would remain permanent and they learned to live with it. They came back looking very tough and brave. Sometimes, some of them would sneak out at night, just to sleepover with each other. The group had also become wiser to many things, including life.

These changes surprised many in Springfield, who were amazed by what their kids have gone through. The group was interviewed over their tale of survival, which also appeared in the documentary.

They were also awarded metals for their bravery by the governor of Springfield's state. Another writer wanted to do a movie on the group's journey into Shelbyville, but he turned out to be a dreamer.

Nothing became of the movie and the furor died within two weeks after the negotiations with Shelbyville ended. Despite many positive things happening, the pictures the group recieved of the places they were at triggered many dreams.

They're weren't nightmares or anything violent. They would awaken at night and start thinking about their adventure into Shelbyville. They were not bothered by the dreams, in most cases they would enjoy them.

Thinking about the woods, the house, the night sky with the moon, and how peaceful it was being out there in Shelbyville's woods. They would often speak with each other about the dreams they've had.

The children went back to school, three weeks later after returning from Shelbyville. Things rapidly went back to normal, but the memories of what happened in Shelbyville will be eternal. The children tried many times to tell their parents what they were told in the woods.

A handful came very close to doing so, but they didn't know what reaction they would expect from their parents. The Parkinson kids told them not to say anything about what they were told, for now.

The children agreed to the decision and continued on with their lives at school. They kept the dark secrets about Springfield a secret, but for how long remains to be seen.

**THE END**


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